Tesco seeks more time to build store
In 2011, there were reports that Tesco contributed €1.5 million towards the construction of the inner relief road that serves the Cock Hill site. Back then The Anglo-Celt reported that Pacelli Lynch, the former president of Cavan chamber, said the development would “kill the town centre”.
Tesco Ireland is seeking to extend the time available to complete a major new supermarket development at Cock Hill in Cavan Town.
The multinational retailer has applied to Cavan County Council for permission to extend the time limit attached to existing planning permission. The contentious Tesco development overlooking Cavan Town is on 3.86 hectare site.
The latest application seeks to extend the 2018 An Bord Pleanála permission that expires in 2023. The existing permission was first green lighted back in 2013, despite significant opposition from local traders, who claimed the new store, in terms of its design and aspect, turned its back on the town and would take footfall away from the town centre.
In 2011, there were reports that Tesco contributed €1.5 million towards the construction of the inner relief road that serves the Cock Hill site. Back then The Anglo-Celt reported that Pacelli Lynch, the former president of Cavan chamber, said the development would “kill the town centre”.
The retail giant was given an extension of time for the planning permission granted in 2013 by Cavan County Council in January of 2018. That also included permission to develop the existing Main Street store.
The existing planning permission allows the construct of a larger store than its existing Main Street outlet. The site to the rear of the existing Tesco premises was owned by the now defunct Cavan Town Council, but is still in the ownership of Cavan County Council.
If the retail giant moves on the project, the Main Street development will amalgamate the existing Tesco stores to facilitate a comparison department store, a cafe unit and site services. Penneys was previously mooted as a potential tenant for the renovated store.
Suggestions have been made that the transfer of the Cock Hill site to Tesco should be halted and used instead for social housing and/or the expansion of St Clare’s School.
A Tesco spokesperson said: "Tesco confirms that the Cavan site continues to be on our property roadmap although there’s no further update at this point."
Cavan County Council has been asked for a comment in relation to the status of the site and terms of its transfer to Tesco Ireland. In a reply a spokesperson said: "This application is an application to extend the duration of planning application 15/61. Under Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, an applicant can apply to extend this five years. As the original application was appealed, the extension would relate to the decision of An Bord Pleanála and any conditions imposed therein. No changes are permitted as part of this application - it relates to an extension of time only. Objections or submissions cannot be accepted under Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended. The site in question is in the ownership of Cavan County Council.”
Details of the original deal between Cavan Town Council and Tesco were not made available on the grounds that it contained commercially sensitive information.
The local authority received the most recent application for an extension of the time to complete the project on August 21, with a decision due to be reached on October 15, 2020.