CONSTRUCTION on the €10m Supermac’s Plaza in Ennis will begin as soon as contracts can be awarded, the Managing Director of the restaurant chain has said.
On Friday, the High Court dismissed the judicial review application against the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for his motorway service station on the M18 outside Ennis.
This was the fourth planning application made by Supermac’s for the development of a plaza at junction 12 of the M18 at Kilbreckan in Doora. Managing Director of Supermac’s, Pat McDonagh has previously said 120 to 140 people are expected to be employed at the Ennis plaza with an additional 100 jobs in the construction phase.
An Bord Pleanála in 2022 upheld a decision by Clare County Council to grant permission. The development was stalled when chartered civil engineer, Michael Duffy from Kilfenora, brought a judicial review proceedings before the High Court seeking to overturn the decision.
Mr Justice David Holland dismissed the proceedings this week, rejecting Mr Duffy’s complaint that An Bord Pleanála “failed to have regard to or engage with his submissions”.
Before a shovel has been put in the ground, McDonagh said that €1.5m plus has already been spent on fees on architects, engineers, surveys and legal costs. He is hopeful the Plaza could be opened next year.
In a statement to The Clare Echo, Mr McDonagh said the decision represents the fruit of ten years work since the decision to develop the Plaza was made. “I would like to thank the in-house team and external consultants who persevered with this project over the last ten years. I would also like to thank Justice Holland for his detailed judgment that upholds the planning permission granted by Clare County Council and that was upheld by An Bord Pleanála,” he said.
He added, “The length of time taken to secure planning permission was regrettable. No gain was achieved from the prolonged process to which planning applications are subjected because of a pointless and costly judicial review roundabout being conducted in a bubble in which a number of applicants for judicial review have become serial lay litigants whose costs are sheltered by guarantee under Section 50b of the Planning Acts”. He said he welcomes the limiting of this disincentive to development as provided for in the 2023 Planning Bill.
According to the Supermac’s MD, construction will commence as soon as contracts can be awarded, and pre-development planning conditions are met. “I determined from the very outset that the benefit for Ennis town and North and West Clare will be emphasised by ensuring that the Plaza will promote the attractiveness of Ennis and the magnificent Clare landscape as important tourist assets in the county”.
Cllr Pat Daly (FF) who was the only politician in the county to put his name on the planning file expressing his support for the development welcomed the decision. “It is great news not alone for Ennis but for the entire county from a tourism outlook. It will be a landmark stop for people travelling from Galway to Kerry and Limerick to Donegal. There was no stop between the cities of Limerick and Galway on the motorway before this so Ennis and Clare will benefit”.
“It won’t affect one business in the town of Ennis, in fact it will be a massive lift to Ennis and the county,” the former Mayor of Ennis predicted.
