Third bid on permission for major Dunshaughlin development

A third attempt in four years at obtaining planning permission to develop the old Gogan"s pub and salesyard site in Dunshaughlin is being made by Cusack Homes. The company is applying for planning approval for a mixed use scheme of retail units, public house, restaurant, commercial office space, creche and 93 residential units. The first application on the site was made in October 2004, with a seven-storey residential element of 176 units, as well as retail and commercial, but this was the subject of numerous objections from local residents" groups, businesses and organisations. It was withdrawn and, in 2005, a new application was submitted with 116 residential units included. This received permission by Meath County Council, but was appealed to An Bord Pleanala, which overturned the decision. Residents in the adjoining Greenane estate opposed the development, as well as the owner of the local SuperValu. An Bord Pleanala said the design and scale of the proposed development would not sufficiently respect the setting in the centre of Dunshaughlin. The development now proposed will comprise a total of 17 retail units and 93 residential units built on a landscaped plaza area above a retail concourse. The residential units will include a mixture of two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses and apartments. Located on the site of the old cattle market and Gogan"s pub, the plan incorporates a new street opposite the Lagore Road junction at Bank of Ireland. This will lead into an enclosed retail concourse, which will house a supermarket of 3,023 square metres (32,540 square feet) and a number of large retail units aimed at fashion and food retailers. The managing director of Cusack Homes, Alan McEntee, said the principle of the design concept 'is to provide a new street which will create a seamless transition from the existing village to a modern retail development enabling both to co-exist in harmony. 'This will be a major piece of both social and economic infrastructure for the Dunshaughlin area, and it will reverse the existing trend of local shoppers travelling outside of the county to areas such as Blanchardstown in search of top-quality retail facilities. It is also an important piece of infrastructure required to service the anticipated growth of Dunshaughlin following the opening of the M3 motorway in 2009,' he added. Mr McEntee said that discussions have taken place with both Dunnes Stores and Tesco who are both keen to establish a presence in the area, as well as a number of local business that are looking to acquire larger, modern premises with easy car parking. If planning permission is secured, Cusack Homes expects to create about 100 jobs during construction, and over 150 full- and part-time positions when the new retail complex is complete. The development has been designed by OBK Architects. Trim-based Cusack Homes is a family-owned company founded by Marie and the late John Cusack, and has been successfully involved in property development and building in County Meath and elsewhere over the past 30 years. Gogan"s was sold in May 2004 for €2.7 million by Anthony Gogan, whose family had run the public house and grocery store for the past century. It had just undergone a major renovation and rebuilding. The old walls once housed the stables from the Fingal Arms Hotel, now the location of Sherry Fitzgerald Sherry. It was a very substantial business with adjoining stables run by Stephen Kelly, a noted racehorse owner. The hotel was frequented by the local hunting fraternity. Horses were available for hire, for hunting or for meeting the train at Drumree. Stephen Kelly"s racing colours, black and amber, were adapted by Dunshaughlin GFC when founded in 1884. The adjoining Dunshaughlin Livestock Salesyard was run by John Connell from Skryne, and sales were held on Tuesdays. It continued until the 1950s. Gogan"s public house was in the ownership of that family since the early 1900s, and was previously owned by a member of the Murphy family.