Multi-million euro plans for supermarket and commercial office development in Meath given green light

Local authority bosses rubber-stamped plans by the McGarrell Reilly Group for the construction of three large-scale office buildings at Bennetstown, Pace on the outskirts of Dunboyne.

They include designs for three office buildings, ranging in height from three to four storeys and spanning a gross floor area of almost 14,000sq m.

In planning documents lodged as part of its application, officials from McGarrell Reilly outline how they intend to build a near 2,000sq m supermarket on a 6.8 acre site.

Two further commercial units the firm intends to tailor towards a shop with the second being geared towards the financial and professional services sector.

The plans also detail how McGarrell Reilly propose to remove the existing Pace roundabout with a four arm signalised junction and to include a segregated footpath and cycleway.

To accommodate the expected influx of both retail and other commercial services into the area, 275 car parking spaces, including 14 disabled bays and 55 electric charging points are provided for.

A request for further information by the council was asked of McGarrell Reilly last June, among which asked the Dublin based firm to develop proposals for pedestrian and cycle facilities along the R157 Dunboyne bypass.

An extensive response to the council’s request were lodged in March with the developers vowing to create a 3m wide shared path along the southern boundary of the development.

In response to National Transport Authority (NTA) recommendations for a review to be carried out over the required amount of car parking spaces linked to the development, McGarrell Reilly said it would reduce the site’s overall number by two, from 275 to 273.

Meath County Council consequently have since given the go-ahead to the plans, subject to 23 conditions.