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05th February 2013 • Volume 20, Issue 04 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • Tel: 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie
Green Light For Swords Service Station The decision of the County Council to grant planning permission for the construction of a new petrol service station on North Street in Swords, is set to have a dramatic effect on the town. It is expected that the new service station, with accompanying retail and food area, will be ready for business later this year. The local authority has granted permission to Applegreen to built a new service station and retail area on the site of Des Darcy Motors on North Street. This new facility will cover an area of 422 square metres, comprising six new petrol pump islands and canopy cover, with the construction of three 40,000 litre underground fuel tanks. Also included will be a comprehensive car wash facility and a retail unit with a drive through fast food facility.
By Patrick Finnegan In it’s summary when granting planning permission, the local authority felt that the “Retail element will be of a nature that would of benefit, by reason of supporting general economic and social activity in the area.” Locals feel that the granting of permission for this service station will add new impetus to this side of the town, and particularly to North Street. The improved footfall and increased general activity is likely to be welcomed by most people. There had been a lot of criticism of the area from some local councillors, who felt that the North Street area of
the town had been neglected and needed a facelift, particularly near the council offices. Tony Lambert, CEO of Fingal Dublin Chamber was very upbeat about the news. He told the County Leader, “We welcome the development of a new service station and the accompanying facilities in North Street. This will add new commercial life to North Street, which is badly needed in the area,” he said. There are many advantages to the building of the new service station, like the generation of new jobs in the construction phase, as well as more perma-
Huge Support For Skerries Community Garden great help to the Tidy The proposed new community garden in Towns committee. We Skerries is something that is getting the hope to have it whole of the Skerries community really completed by late excited. The garden will be located summer this year and we right beside the old Carnegie library on are all looking forward to Strand Street and work has already it,” concluded Scully. commenced on it. This Floraville site was President of Skerries Chamber of Commerce, originally earmarked for Martin Scully spoke about how the project an extension to the came about. He told the County Leader. Martin Scully, Skerries library. The site was “The Chamber leased the land, known as the Chamber President acquired by the then Floraville site from the County Council and decided to plant a community garden here. Dublin County Council in the early 1980s for It depicts life in Skerries. One side of the this purpose. Detailed plans and specificagarden will encapsulate the harbour and the tions for this library were drawn up and approved in other will be of 1987. However, the old village. it was not There will also possible to be a ‘living wall’, proceed with with flowers in this project, due the colours of to the suspenthe local sports sion of the clubs and the libraries develgarden. It will o p m e n t provide a programme for w o n d e r f u l lack of necesamenity and will sary funding. be used by the Many locals will entire commuAn artist impression of the new Community Garden in Skerries wonder why the nity,” he said. Scully said, “This site has been lying idle for library has disappeared off the radar of the the past 30 years. There’s terrific support C o u n c i l . N e i g h b o u r i n g t o w n s , l i k e for it from all walks of life in the town. It will Balbriggan and Rush have state of the art e n c o u r a g e b u s i n e s s a n d c h a n g e t h e libraries, but facilities in Skerries are practidynamics of the town and is certain to be a cally non-existent.
nent ones upon completion. However, many will have concerns about the future of adjoining retail businesses in the area. This may well counteract the positive news on the job creation of the project. There is the distinct possibility that livelihoods may be affected by such a development, with the likely problems for the newsagent and off licence in the area. As this is the site of a previous filling station, for many it will mean the restoration of normal service. With the closure of the Esso Petrol Station on Rathbeale Road, many believe that a need exists for such a facility. Others are fearful of the increased traffic flow along the Balheary Road, as motorists and shoppers access the area from the northern part of town. A spokesperson for the company told the County Leader, “We are delighted to confirm Petrogas Group Ltd. has been granted Planning Permission for an Applegreen branded station at North Street Swords. It will be another three or four months before all permits are obtained and construction can commence. Hopefully, late September/ October 2013 should see us trading in Swords,” she concluded.