An Bord Pleanála permits plans for Carroll Village Shopping Centre in Dundalk
The decision by Louth County Council to permit a new four storey Primary Care Centre had been appealed
An Bord Pleanála has given the go ahead for a new Primary Care Centre at the former Carroll Village Shopping Centre in Dundalk, following an appeal by Carroll Village Retail Management Services Limited against Louth County Council's decision to grant planning permission for the development last year.
Louth County Council granted conditional planning permission in June 2023 to Aviva Life and Pensions Ireland DAC for the development, which proposed partial demolition of the existing shopping centre building and the construction of a new four storey Primary Care Centre.
The planned development includes a General Practitioners Surgery, Pharmacy Unit and HSE accommodation, with planned works also including car parking and set down area; erection of access control barriers; new totem sign; general wall mounted signage; and new elevational treatment to north façade.
Carroll Village Retail Management Services Limited had appealed Louth County Council's decision, raising issues including, lack of legal entitlement to use the existing car park; lack of strategic vison (masterplan) for the overall site; inadequate parking provision; and negative impact on the development potential of the remainder of the site.
In granting planning permission for the development, An Bord Pleanála said that "the Board agreed that the matter of car parking is adequately addressed by condition requiring the provision of adequate carparking as per the requirements and calculations of the PA in respect in respect of the County Development Plan, in advance of commencement of development."
It also said that, "the Board agreed with the Planning Authority that the revised drawings, details and information showing the public realm space integrated and considered in conjunction with the public footpath at the southern boundary and the activation generated by the development at this location would help animate the street which would adequately support the D1 Regeneration Zoning objective for the site."