Planning for shop refused

Waterford Corporation has refused planning permission for a controversial two-storey shop on the city's quayside.

The developers June and Brendan Darrer had applied for planning permission to demolish existing structures on a former filling station at Meagher's Quay and to construct a new 319 square metre shop and adjoining 21 space car-park.

The site is zoned "to protect, provide and improve city centre commercial uses" while the quays are identified in the Waterford City Development Plan 1994, as a distinct element in the urban structure constituting one of the main business and shopping areas of the city but also requiring visual protection.

The corporation cited three separate reasons for denial of planning permission. The first was that the development would materially contravene the policies and objectives for the South Quays by being an "inappropriate development".

The second reason was that the proposed development would be visually intrusive and the third was the development would have a negative impact on the quayside, which was a conservation area.

The proposed developers, the Darrers, were themselves involved in a campaign against a bus station at the quays three years ago. That campaign was unsuccessful and Bus Eireann eventually received permission for its station.