An Bord Pleanála rejected an appeal by a large group of residents against the decision of Dublin City Council to approve the planning application from the German discount supermarket group for the mixed-use development on the lands of the former Bright Ford Rialto on Herberton Road, Dublin 12.
Over a dozen local residents lodged a joint appeal against the project
The development will involve the construction of a six-storey building with 41 apartments on the upper floors.
The supermarket, which will include an off-licence and bakery, will be located at first-floor level over an undercroft car park and three retail units at ground-floor level.
A landscaped courtyard will also be located at second-floor level.
The plans for the 0.45-hectare site near the Grand Canal also involves the demolition of existing buildings, including a sales room and commercial warehouse.
Lidl had originally sought planning permission for a supermarket and 60 apartments in a six-storey building, but revised its plans in response to issues raised by council planners, including removing one storey from the front and rear of the premises.
Over a dozen residents of Herberton Road lodged a joint appeal against the project.
They claimed Lidl’s plans represented overdevelopment of the site which would “materially impinge” on the residential and visual amenities of the area because of “severe overlooking and loss of privacy” to houses on two sides.
The residents argued the project also represented “a piecemeal and incongruous approach to development”.
They claimed the scale of it was “unacceptable and indicates a continuing complete and utter disregard” for the surrounding area.
An Bord Pleanála said the plan was an acceptable form of mixed-use development
The residents expressed concern that the new supermarket would result in traffic hazards and overspill car parking in the area. They maintained they had already witnessed incidents of children being struck by vehicles on Herberton Road.
They also had worries over the decommissioning of underground tanks from a former petrol station on the site, while they claimed the risk of flooding had not been properly assessed.
In its ruling, An Bord Pleanála said the plan constituted an acceptable form of mixed-use development in an urban location on a brownfield site.
The appeals board said it would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area and would offer an acceptable standard of residential amenity for future residents.
It concluded that the development would be acceptable in terms of pedestrian and traffic safety.
Separately, Lidl announced yesterday that it has appointed Robert Ryan as CEO of its Irish business, succeeding JP Scally, who is to run its operations in France.
Mr Ryan, currently chief customer officer, joined the company in 2003. He takes up the role on October 1.
The chain now has more than 180 outlets in the Republic, employing 6,000 staff, and a further 41 shops in Northern Ireland.
