Planning loop-hole angers TCC committee
By Laura Lyne
DESPITE a previous refusal of permission by An Bord Pleanala and an enforcement order on a pizza premises located on the High Street, a new planning application for permission to change the use of its premises from a taxi rank to pizza takeaway has been submitted to South Dublin County Council.
The application had previously been refused permission by An Bord Pleanala following a grant of permission by the council last year, with the pizza premises opening to the public and operating throughout 2016 without planning permission for the change-of-use.
An objection to the application is set to be submitted by Tallaght Community Council, which previously opposed the original application.
Tara De Buitlear, PRO of TCC said: “This planning application was refused by An Bord Pleanala in December 2015 – meaning the take-away should not have opened its doors after the ABP decision in December.
“A planning enforcement case to enforce the ABP refusal has been in place on this take-away by the council since then.
“The planning system appears to have a loophole which is being used here and this take-away is now applying to retain the take-away they opened in direct contradiction to the An Bord Pleanala decision to refuse permission to open another take away in Tallaght village.
“The process feels wrong that the “final planning authority” have already ruled in this case. TCC will be again objecting to this third bite of the cherry on this case.
“This duplication is frustrating as well as a drain on our voluntary time and resources when the final planning authority in Ireland has already upheld our grounds for objection to another take-away in the village.”
Gerry Stockil, chairperson of Tallaght Community Council said: “Tallaght Community Council is a long time champion of Tallaght village – proactively tackling graffiti, hosting positive events back in the village and addressing illegal development in the ACA area.
“TCC is not anti-business or anti-development – but we are very focused on pushing for well-balanced, quality designed developments in Tallaght and will continue to champion this as active volunteers.”
Submissions on the application will be accepted until June 30, with a decision on the application due from South Dublin County Council by July 21.
