BREAKING: Controversial appeal against €17m Kildare service station and 400 jobs is withdrawn

The appeal by An Taisce against a plan for a significant service station development which could lead to 400 jobs in Naas has been abandoned.

It’s been confirmed by An Bord Pleanála that the appeal has now been withdrawn.

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Service station network Applegreen was granted permission by Kildare County Council to build a service station and electric vehicle hub in a €17m development spanning 10,000 square metres.

Applegreen's parent company, Petrogas Group Limited, wants to demolish all buildings on the Cemex site near the Naas Ball as a first step. 

The industrial area has been derelict since building materials firm Cemex closed after over 50 years in the area with the loss of 50 jobs in 2007.

Being planned is a new electric vehicle charging hub for 36 vehicles along with eight electric bus/HGV charging spaces. 

The designs include the construction of eight buildings comprising a distribution centre, offices and 13 loading bays. 

Also planned is a service station with retail area, seating area, drive-thru hatch and toilets.

The entrance off Johnstown Road will be replaced with a new slip lane, according to the plans. 

There will be car parking for 169 vehicles, cycle parking for 46 bicycles as well as 16 spaces for buses and HGVs.

The designs include internal roads, footpaths and cycle lanes, outdoor exercise areas, outdoor eating/picnic areas, a covered smoking area, roof-mounted solar panels and a new internal roundabout junction.

However KCC’s decision was appealed by An Taisce to An Bord Pleanála.

Founded in 1948, An Taisce is one of Ireland’s oldest and largest environmental organisations. An Taisce is an independent charity that works to preserve and protect Ireland's natural and built heritage.

Naas mayor Fintan Brett told a Naas Municipal District committee meeting that An Taisce is concerned with heritage and this is not an issue with their application. ”Where is the heritage interest here ?”, he asked.

He also said Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which oversees the motorways network had no issue with the project.

He also said there would be no problems with access because it is sited a good distance from the motorway.

He also disputed that the area is in a green belt.

And, he added, also to Naas Tidy Towns who spent many hours cleaning up the site.

“This is an overreach by An Taisce. It's not their responsibility,” he said.

“It has to go ahead, it doesn’t contravene the county development plan adn it has the most charging points for electric cars in this area. There is no natural or built heritage on the site, only dereliction. An Taisce should be welcoming this.”

Independent councillor Bill Clear said he is a member of An Taisce and he was "disgusted". He noted the site has been derelict for a long time. He said people are living on the site and at the moment it is a “blight on our community for years."

Cllr Clear added: “The proposed development is not only a solution to long-standing dereliction, but also a chance to transform this site into a hub of sustainable activity. The proposed development will provide access to the Naas-Kill Greenway, establish 36 electric vehicle charging stations (the largest such hub in the country), create a wildlife pond, and introduce extensive landscaping to improve the local environment”.

The An Taisce objection said the plan would “create lock in to car-based development” and undermine sustainable transport policy which seeks to move people to public transport, cycling and walking.

It added the plan has not used the opportunity to “create a high quality landmark gateway development that would enhance the entrance into the town.”

It described the plan as “piecemeal/unclear with uses that don’t appear to speak to each other.” 

It said numerous and excessive signs would be needed to attract people to the service station and these are not suitable for the "principal gateway” into Naas. An Taisce also claimed that the fast food outlets might attract drivers a significant distance off the  national road network when some of these facilities already exist nearby. It said the plan does not strengthen the links between Kill/Johnstown and Naas for pedestrians and cyclists and "may appear to act as a visual barrier.” 

It further claimed it contravened zoning provision of the county development plan because part of the area is zoned for open space and amenity use.