Tesco proposal for drive-through ‘click and collect’ at Cork store refused planning permission

TESCO’S proposal for a drive-through ‘click and collect’ facility at Wilton Shopping Centre has been refused planning permission.

In May, Tesco Ireland Ltd lodged a planning application with Cork City Council seeking temporary permission for a period of five-years for the construction of a sheltered canopy for the purpose of providing a drive-through ‘click and collect’ facility with three parking bays.

The development, proposed for lands adjacent to and south-west of the shopping centre, would have also seen the construction of new vehicular accesses to the internal service road, footpaths, a proposed raised pedestrian crossing and associated site development works.

A cover letter submitted with the application said the ‘click and collect’ facility was being proposed “in response to changing customer habits”.

“Tesco currently operates numerous ‘click and collect’ facilities across the country, which allows customers to collect their shopping at a time that suits them and without the requirement to enter the store,” read the cover letter.

“The demand for ‘click and collect’ facilities is increasing, particularly over the last few years during the covid-19 pandemic where customer practices have changed significantly,” the cover letter continued.

However, Cork City Council has rejected the plans on the basis that the area of proposed development is not zoned for the intended use.

The local authority said the site is located within an area zoned ‘ZO1 Sustainable Residential Neighbourhoods’ within the current development plan, where it is policy “to protect and provide for residential uses and amenities, local services and community, institutional, educational and civic uses”.

“The proposed development would serve the established ‘District Centre’ uses which are located to the east of the site and as such cannot be considered as a local service suitable for development within this location,” the local authority explained.