Clare County Council has given the green light to Primark’s planned new ‘flaghsip’ waterfront outlet for Ennis which is estimated to deliver revenues of €14.26m per annum.
The planning authority has granted planning permission to Primark’s plans for a three storey over basement outlet on a 1.3 acre site in Harmony Row, Bank Place and Bindon Lane, Ennis subject to 14 conditions.
The planned development site lies close to a pedestrian bridge across the River Fergus opposite the Abbey Street car park.
A retail impact assessment lodged with the application has stated that the Primark proposals have “the potential to act as a catalyst for the local economy, with increased inward investment and a significant level of new employment during both the construction and operational phases of the development”.
The new store in Ennis is also part of Primark’s commitment to invest over €250m in Ireland over a ten-year period, which includes the development, relocation and/or refurbishment of its stores across the country.
The Primark scheme for Ennis comprises a gross floor area of 3,550 sq metres including ancillary uses comprising staff area, stockroom, plant rooms and other ancillary areas.
A spokeswoman for Primark said today: Primark spokesperson: “We know how much our customers in Ennis have wanted a new Penneys store and we’re now one step closer to making that happen. We look forward to sharing more details when we can.”
The proposal also involves the construction of a new public riverside pedestrian walkway from Bank Place to the existing pedestrian bridge over the River Fergus connecting to the existing pedestrian path from Harmony Row and modifications to the walkway of the existing pedestrian bridge.
Landowner of the site, Galway company, Briarlane Developments Ltd gave its consent for the application to be lodged.
Only three submissions were lodged from the general public with the Council on the planning application and in one, Jackie Maurer with a Ballyvaughan address told the council that Ennis is renowned for ts unique cultural and historical character and having “a fast fashion outlet of this size could dilute this unique identify making the town less appealing to tourists searching for authentic local experiences”.
In a retail assessment drawn up by MKO and lodged with the application it states that the proposed development, in line with the Clare County Development Plan provides for a “flagship waterfront development” of outstanding design and quality making a significant contribution to the overall appearance and amenity of the area.
The assessment states that the new Primark store “will also serve as a primary retail destination and encourage smaller retailers and other businesses to location within its vicinity creating a town-centre ambience and increasing both resident and visitor footfall within the area”.
The assessment contends that the planned interventions to the existing pedestrian walkway will further strengthen the connectivity to the riverwalk, seamlessly integrating the development with the rest of the neighbourhood, establishing the proposed development as a key landmark within the historic town centre.
The assessment also states that the proposed scheme will enhance the vitality of the town and integrate well with the existing shopping facilities, further improving suitability of the town centre retail accommodation for modern retailers whilst also maintaining the town’s historic character.
On vacant premises in Ennis town centre, the retail impact assessment states that recently the vacant rate increased to 18.6%, the highest in County Clare, reflecting a significant rise over the past year.
It stated: “However, despite this, Ennis has generally fared better than other regions, particularly during and after the pandemic, and there have been positive efforts to reduce vacancies.”
The retail impact assessment also contended that the proposed development “will not have any adverse impact of any significance on the existing retail provision in the identified catchment area”.
The report stated: “There is significant expenditure available to help support the existing retail providers within the Key Town of Ennis.”
The report also stated that the Qualitative and Quantitative Assessments carried out “indicate that there is demand for new comparison retail within the Key Town of Ennis, which the proposed development will respond to and cater for”.
The report stated that its findings demonstrates that the proposal “will not impact on the viability of the Key Town of Ennis, rather it will serve as a landmark waterfront development which will enable / encourage additional retail and commercial activity including attracting more residents to the area”.
The new outlet is expected to replace Penney’s existing Ennis outlet in the Ennis Shopping Centre on Ennis’s Francis Street.
