This article is from page 21 of the 2009-12-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A PLANNED TESCO four island petrol station for Kilrush could result in the loss of a significant proportion of the 100 people employed in inde- pendently owned petrol stations in west Clare.
That is the view of the Irish Petrol Retailers’ Association (IPRA) who are once more opposing plans by the Supermarket giant to construct the petrol station adjacent to its recently opened store in the west Clare town.
Earlier this year, An Bord Pleanala turned down a previous plan by TES- CO due to traffic considerations.
Now, in response to a new plan, the
IPRA, independent retailer group, RGDATA and independent petrol owners are opposing the application.
In its objection, the IPRA states that petrol stations and associated shops provide full-time and part- time employment for some 100 peo- ple in the area, a significant number of which could lose their jobs based on the UK trend being replicated in Ireland whereby half of all petrol stations will have closed within a 15- year period.
The objection states, “We submit that such an impact is unacceptable in a period of economic recession in an area that has already a high un- employment rate. The evidence from
the UK is clear and unequivocal whereby the UK supermarkets have increased their market share from 11 per cent in 1992 to 40 per cent to- day in a market where the number of operators has over halved. The link therefore between supermarkets en- tering the petrol filling station mar- ket and offering discounted fuel and the closure of other petrol filling sta- tions cannot be questioned.
The objection states, “The open- ing of Kilrush Tesco petrol filling stations will result in preventing communities from accessing food supplies in station shops, remov- ing a critical and regular reason for residents to visit a location, therefore
reducing the critical mass of the area and affecting local traders, motorists having to travel further in order for petrol and in reducing the viability of west Clare as a place to live.
‘The closure of petrol stations will have an adverse and negative impact on the provision of retail services to vulnerable members of the commu- nity, who currently rely on access to retailing facilities associated with, and existing filing stations in the ru- ral area and from where there are no public transport links to Kilrush.
“We request the Council to con- clude therefore that the proposal is contrary to the provisions of sections 90-95 of the Retail Planning Guide-
lines and therefore not in the proper planning and sustainable develop- ment of the area nor in the interest of the common good and that the pro- posal will endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard.”
In its objcction, RGDATA state that the application should be refused as it is not consistent with the proper planning and sustainable develop- ment of Kilrush.
Others to make submissions include David and Colette of Colleen Bawn, Texaco Station, Killimer; John and Vincent Crowley, Crowley’s garage, Kilrush; Michael Fitzpatrick, Fitz- patrick’s station, Killimer and Mar- rinan Oil, Cappa, Kilrush.