An Bord Pleanala has turned down plans for a E35m retail development in Donegal town in south Co Donegal. Bennett Construction had already secured Dunnes Stores as anchor tenant.
In March 2006 the county council approved plans for the scheme, which also included 25 other shop units. An Bord Pleanala turned it down because it wasn't within comfortable walking distance of the town centre and because of potential traffic congestion.
2,500 local residents signed a petition to An Bord Pleanala saying that they wanted the scheme to go ahead, because the area was under-shopped and suffers from high unemployment. Some local traders also supported the scheme, because spending curently leaks to Sligo, Letterkenny and Enniskillen.
Even the agriculture and food minister in the Dublin government, Mary Coughlan, who is from Co Donegal, reflected the dismay of local people when she said that she couldn't understand why the scheme was turned down.
The Bennett scheme had been appealed to An Bord Pleanala by a rival developer, Keeney Construction, which has its own plans to develop a E100m retail, residential and office scheme on the site of the Magee clothing factory in the town. This scheme was approved by Donegal County Council last December.
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