Green light for new Laois builders providers store with up to 50 jobs

The green light has been granted to build a big new builders retail store in Portlaoise, in response to the demand in housing construction.

A builders providers in Cork and Kerry is expanding to the Midlands and has chosen Laois for its fourth store.

They say it will create up to 50 new jobs for the local economy.

Laois County Council has approved planning permission to established Munster business MD O'Shea who have branches in Killarney, Charleville and Ballincollig. They sell building and DIY supplies, doors and floors, plumbing and heating, electrical appliances and fixtures, furniture and gardening.

They explain in the application why they chose Portlaoise.

"Primarily due to its strategic location proximate to the M7 and a strong local workforce, Portlaoise was identified by the applications as the most appropriate location for the proposed trade/retail warehouse facility."

Applicant Bluebell Edge Ltd sought to construct a trade/retail warehouse facility and all ancillary site development works, at Lismard Retail Park, behind the Ben Dunne Gym, off the Portlaoise Retail park roundabout.

The main building will cover nearly 4,500sqm of space including retail space and builders providers stock storage. 

The proposed development also provides for a sheltered outdoor garden centre display area at ground floor level with storage areas, office and staff welfare areas at ground and mezzanine floor levels. There will be car parking and service areas, rooftop PV panels, fascia signage and bicycle parking facilities.

Access will be via the internal road network of the Lismard Business Park.

The applicants say that the chosen site, served by a roundabout on the southern circular road, can accommodate an industry standard store, large HGV deliveries and car parking.

It is described as being "a positive development in the local economy and will not result in any negative impacts on the vitality and viability of the town centre and is in accordance with the sustained growth of Portlaoise."

The application says that it is envisaged that 75% of theirs sales will be to the building and trade sectors, with the remaining 25% in retail sales to the general public of DIY and hardware.

A pedestrian crossing has been added to the plan on request by Laois County Council planners, as well as changes to lighting, a wider entrance road and traffic calming measures.

There had been one local objection, by a resident of Beladd who described the chosen 1.6 hectare site behind Lismard Business park, The Downs as "a sanctuary" for wildlife including red listed snipe, meadow pipits, hares, badgers and orchids.

They asked for the plan to be refused and if not, that the applicants be told to "seriously up their game and revise their landscaping plans" to avert "devastating harm to our beautiful local wildlife". 

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However the applicant said their AA screening report found that it is "not considered there would be potential for significant effects on the Natura 2000 network".