An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for the country's first Ikea furniture superstore, paving the way for the construction of the largest retail outlet in the State.
However, the board has imposed 30 conditions on the proposed development at Ballymun in Dublin close to the M50, including the requirement for major upgrading works on the M50 to be completed before the shop can open.
When completed the store will be 30,000 square metres in size and will carry a total of 9,000 products.
The development will include 1,527 parking spaces, a creche, a children's play area and, because of the size of the store, a "travellator" to assist shoppers in getting from one part of the site to the other.
The decision to grant permission followed a week-long oral hearing into the proposed development, which was granted initial planning approval by Fingal County Council.
The hearing heard objections from the National Roads Authority and other groups and individuals, including Green TD Eamon Ryan, on the basis that the proposed store would add to the serious traffic congestion already on the M50 and undermine the impact of its proposed upgrade.
Developer Treasury Holdings, which has a development proposal nearby, objected to the Ikea plan on the basis of traffic congestion as well and the potential negative impact on its own development.
Hardware store representatives also objected to the plan because of its potential impact on competition.
In granting its decision, An Bord Pleanála cited the 2005 retail planning guidelines as one of the principal reasons for granting permission. These guidelines were introduced specifically to facilitate the proposed Ikea development on the Ballymun site, which is part of the Ballymun Regeneration area project, lifting a cap on the size of retail outlets
Prior to the guidelines, retail superstores like Ikea were effectively banned in Ireland but the 2005 guidelines allowed for such outlets when they were proposed for urban regeneration areas like Ballymun. The board rejected concerns that the size of the facility would cause traffic congestion or hurt other retail outlets in Ballymun.
"The proposed development would not adversely affect the retail hierarchy of the area, would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area," the board's decision stated.
However, the board placed conditions on the proposed development, along the lines of those recommended by its inspector Keith Sargeant, almost all of which related to traffic management. The principal requirement is that the planned superstore cannot open before essential upgrading takes place on the M50. The work, including a major new roundabout close to Ballymun and increasing the nearby motorway to three lanes, will not be completed until the end of 2009 at the earliest. Ikea has previously stated the store could be completed next year.
The store will also be unable to open before 11am during weekdays, and will be required to remain open until at least 10pm to avoid creating traffic congestion.
A sophisticated traffic monitoring system will also be required, with a requirement to increase or change car parking charges should traffic movements exceed certain values.
A subsidised home delivery service is also a condition, alongside a shuttle bus to Ballymun.