PLANNING permission has been refused for a new Lidl supermarket in the centre of Douglas.

The Lidl was to be located in Barry’s Field on the Carrigaline Road next to the car park for Barry’s Bar and Restaurant and bordered by the cemeteries of St Lukes and St Columba’s churches.

Lidl’s application sought permission to build a 2,871 square metre supermarket made up of a retail sales area, off-licence, and bakery along with signage, trolley bays, and a 110-space car park.

The main vehicle and pedestrian entrance would be via a new entrance on the Carrigaline Road.

The application attracted a number of objections including one from rival supermarket chain Tesco, who said the development would be an “underutilisation” of prime development lands.

They also said the development would have very little integration with Carrigaline Road.

Peter Collins of Barry’s Bar & Restaurant also objected to the development saying the site should be used for a mix of uses rather than a single purpose.

Last August, Cork County Council granted planning permission for the development, but this decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

An inspector who examined the application recommended that the council’s decision should be upheld and permission granted for the store.

However, the board disagreed and have refused permission.

They said the Local Area Plan requires the Barry’s Field site be developed for a mix of uses to form a continuous commercial strip with the existing Barry’s Pub and Restaurant.

“By reason of its semi-industrial form of design, its lack of civic design and streetscape presence on to Carrigaline Road and its lack of mix of uses on this prominent site within the Church Street Architectural Conservation Area, the proposed development would not contribute to the achievement of this objective,” An Bord Pleanála said.

The decision was welcomed by county councillor Eoghan Jeffers.

“The prospect of having another large shopping centre in the heart of Douglas Village was a concern for many, and justified. While nobody wants to see jobs not being created, the location for this proposed development is just not suitable for a development of that nature.”

“Traffic already in Douglas is terrible and to add another shopping centre in Barry’s Field would just add to that.

“Furthermore, the entrance being located on the Old Carrigaline Road — which is a one-way system — would mean that traffic would have only one way to go, right in to the heart of the village,” Mr Jeffers said.