This article is from page 4 of the 2009-09-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE developers of a retail park in Shannon have confirmed that their €60 million proposal will not have a negative economic impact on the town centre.
Earlier this year, the council stated that it would not be favourably dis- posed towards granting planning permission for the park.
In the latest tranche of information lodged with the council in support of the plan, Greenband Investment Ltd and Sean Halpin state that the retail park will generate €33 million a year in turnover.
The project plans to create 600 new jobs between construction and serv- ices when it becomes operational and includes a retail warehouse park for bulky household goods, discount
food store and neighbourhood centre to include a small convenience store, pharmacy, bookmakers and_hair- dressers.
The development will create 250 direct jobs, 200 indirect jobs and a further 180 jobs during the construc- tion phase.
The applicants have now lodged substantial information to allay the fears of the council.
Their application states that, over- all, Shannon is not performing for a town of its size and is not compara- ble to the other two major town cen- tres in the local retail hierachy.
“The shopping centre falls short in terms of the quantity and quality of retail floorspace and of its wider so- cial economic role than other town centres organically build up over time. The proposed development will serve the local need in south Clare for 1m- proved retail facilities and introduce competition into this particular area
“Regionally, it will help to strength- en retailing in Clare. It will provide a new form of retail in Shannon and will not have a negative impact on the town centre because there is suf- ficient growth in expenditure to ac- commodate the proposed retail park
“The proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the town centre and would actually represent a beneficial, quality, modern addition to comparison retailing in the town as a whole, which would support the wider strategy to maintain the town’s status as a regional centre.”
The council had stated that it has serious reservations about the pro- posed development having regard to the safety, nature and mix of retail uses having regard to its location; traffic safety and the provision of Services.