Lidl for East Wall approved

Lidl has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála for a licensed discount food store at the former Cahill Print Works at Church Road/East Wall Road, Dublin 3.

Should the store go ahead, it will be in direct competition with fellow German discounter Aldi, which opened an outlet across the road last summer.

Lidl had appealed conditions of a planning permission by Dublin City Council, particularly those relating to the sale of alcohol. The appeals board found that Lidl "had demonstrated that the alcohol sales component of the proposed development would comply with Dublin City Development Plan 2011-2017 policy in relation to the location of off-licence facilities". It also considered Lidl's proposed car-parking arrangements to be acceptable "at this city centre location".

The decision clears the way for Lidl to proceed with a mixed-use development in two blocks totalling 6,258sq m (67,360sq ft) on a site of 0.9 hectares. The first block, fronting East Wall Road and Church Road, is to be up to four storeys and arranged around a 118-space rear car park. The ground floor provides for 1,980sq m (21,313sq ft) of space in total, with a licensed discount food store taking up 1,280sq m (13,778sq ft). Above this will be a gym/fitness facility, and two floors of offices.

The second block, of two storeys, will include a drive-through restaurant of 655sq m (7,050sq ft), a shop and office space.

Aldi and Lidl have a combined 13.1 per cent share of the Irish grocery market, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel.