COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING
Thursday, June 17, 2021
MOTION NO.
MOTION: Councillor B. Lawlor, Councillor K. Egan
To include under the zoning matrix for the RW zoning, or whichever zoning is applied to Fonthill Retail Park, that 'Shop Neighbourhood' is open for consideration and by the insertion of 'Specialist Forms of Retailing' as open for consideration. The insertion of 'Specialist Forms of Retailing' relates to those forms of retail that do not fall within the definitions shop local, shop neighbourhood or shop-major sales outlet.
REPORT:
The motion seeks to amend the zoning matrix for Retail Warehousing to include that a ‘Shop Neighbourhood’ is open for consideration and to insert ‘specialist forms of retailing’ as also included as open for consideration. 'Specialist Forms of Retailing' relates to those forms of retail that do not fall within the definitions shop local, shop neighbourhood or shop-major sales outlet.
The Retail Planning Guidelines 2012 define a retail warehouse as ‘A large single-level store specialising in the sale of bulky household goods such as carpets, furniture and electrical goods, and bulky DIY items, catering mainly for car-borne customers’.
The Retail Planning Guidelines 2012 (section 4.11.2 Retail Parks and Retail Warehouses) set out that a retail park comprises an agglomeration of retail warehouses grouped around a common car park selling mainly bulky household goods, requiring extensive areas of showroom space, often with minimal storage requirements. There is an expectation that most of the goods purchased can be transported off-site by the customer. Home delivery services may also be available. There are benefits to be gained in grouping retail warehouses in retail parks so that the number of trips by car are minimised. The parks are generally located at out-of-centre locations to facilitate access by car. These locations may also provide relief to congested city or town centres.
The guidelines further set out that; because the number of retail parks has grown substantially over the past decade, reaching saturation point in some areas, and leading to vacancy in some cases, and also because of the blurring of the definition of the goods permitted to be sold in these parks, it is appropriate to reassess the impact of such developments.
Due to the fact that the range of goods being sold from retail warehouse parks often includes non-bulky durables, there is potential for a detrimental impact on city/town centres as indicated by the increasing numbers of vacant units in urban centres where retail parks exist on the periphery. It also needs to be recognised that many bulky goods stores such as furniture retailers can and are accommodated in city and town centres.
To minimise potential adverse impacts on central areas, it is important that the range of goods sold in both existing and any future retail parks is tightly controlled and limited to truly bulky household goods or goods which are not portable by customers travelling by foot, cycle, or bus.
Having regard to the above it is considered that the proposal to include ‘Shop Local’ and 'Specialist Forms of Retailing' as open for consideration would conflict with the provisions set out in the Retail Planning Guidelines 2012 which seek to ensure that the range of goods sold within such areas is tightly controlled and limited to truly bulky household goods or goods which are not portable by customers travelling by foot, cycle, or bus.
In addition, the proposal would have the potential to create an adverse impact on existing local centres in the area particularly units in close proximity to the subject site such as the units at Ballyowen Road, Shancastle Avenue and along the Neilstown Road which are all located within c. 600metres of the subject lands.
Recommendation
It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.