Appeal to N55 filling station
Plans to redevelop the former Cavan Motors site at Moynehall into a modern service station and drive-thru facility have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
The proposed development secured planning permission last June from Cavan County Council to transform the 2.8-acre brownfield site - once home to one of the region's leading Nissan dealerships - into a mixed-use forecourt offering petrol, food, retail, and rest facilities.
The application by Cavan Motors Ltd was for the demolition of the existing 1,430 sq m showroom and service garage and the construction of a new single-storey, 1,000 sq ft service station. It would include a 100 sq m retail area, an off-licence, two communal seating areas, and four food and beverage outlets, one of which would operate as a drive-thru restaurant with a dedicated vehicle lane. The layout also features 51 car parking spaces, five electric vehicle charging points, 10 HGV parking bays, and six staff-only parking spots, alongside car wash bays and service yards.
Access to the site would shift from the current N55 entry to a new roundabout access point, which the applicant claims will significantly improve pedestrian safety, particularly north of the Corlurgan Business Park.
The development’s design, as outlined by JA Gorman Consulting Engineers, also includes back-of-house facilities such as staff locker rooms, a canteen, storage areas, and office spaces.
The site sits at a key gateway into Cavan Town, and as part of the planning process the council's planners requested significant further information, to include revised drawings on the architectural quality of the forecourt and service station building.
However, the permission granted with 25 conditions attached, has now been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
One of the appellants is local businessman Philip Kiernan, who runs service stations on the Ballinagh Road and the Dublin Road in Cavan Town. He has raised concerns about the significant change in operational hours from the former dealership to what could potentially be a 24-hour service station.
He also criticised the lighting plan, stating it did not account for light spillage beyond the site boundaries.
Furthermore, he opposed the location of external seating and the drive-thru, citing increased noise and disturbance to adjacent homes, as well as flagging an apparent shortfall in staff parking, arguing that six designated spaces would be inadequate for the estimated 25 full- and part-time employees.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is also listed as a third party appeallant.
Their submissions centred around traffic safety and the impact on the national road network.
The site is located adjacent to the N55, where the posted speed limit is 100 km/h and TII points to national planning guidelines that caution against granting new access points or developments that could interfere with traffic flow and safety on high-speed routes.