Lidl have appealed the refusal of planning permission for a supermarket in Claregalway to An Bord Pleanála.
The supermarket chain sought approval to build a supermarket on a 0.75ha greenfield site in the village centre, on the eastern side of the N83.
The county council refused planning permission for the new supermarket in February due to concerns about flooding, road safety, and the scale of the project.
Lidle has now appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanála, which is due to make a ruling on the case by July 10 of this year.
The appeal states that the subject site is “available, suitable, and viable” land adjacent to the town centre, and that the county council’s assessment of the application contained “inaccurate assumptions and conclusions”.
Lidl had said that when completed, the supermarket would create 30 new jobs in the town, along with supporting 100 construction jobs when being built.
The appeal states that the decision to call the site a flood risk was “arbitrary and unspecified”, and that there is adequate surface water drainage.
The appeal also disputes that the proposed entrance onto the Galway Road would create road safety concerns, and that concerns about the design of the development were subjective.
