Kerry County Council has refused permission for Lidl Ireland to build a second store in Killarney.
The German retailer applied for planning permission to build the shop on a brownfield site on the Park Road beside the Omniplex Cinema.
Lidl had submitted the development would provide up to 25 additional, full-time jobs, not including construction-stage employment.
Lidl Ireland opened its first store in Killarney over 20 years ago, and sought planning to build a store of around 2,300 square-metres, of which around 1,500 square-metres would be retail space.
The brownfield site, totalling around 0.95 hectares, is located on the Park Road beside the new Omniplex cinema across the road from McDonald’s.
The German retailer wrote in its application this would further sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of the town centre, by providing additional choice and competition for shoppers at an accessible location.
Kerry County Council has now refused permission for the development for two reasons.
First, the council says this site is located on land zoned Mixed Use in the Killarney Town Development Plan, where retail uses are not normally permitted.
Second, the council noted that this development would have been accessed via a new, uncontrolled junction on to the Park Road; i.e. not controlled by traffic signals.
Planners wrote this would increase conflict points for pedestrian and vehicles along an already congested road which is the main route into the town centre from the east.
Kerry County Council found the additional traffic generated by this development at a point between two busy existing uncontrolled junctions, would be a traffic hazard endangering public safety and obstructing road users.
For those two reasons, the council said the new shop would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
Lidl Ireland has until early January if it wants to appeal the decision to An Bórd Pleanála.
