An Bord Pleanála have rejected plans to build a major shopping centre on the site of the old Erin Foods factory here in Thurles.
The original decision to close the Erin Foods Factory came about after a group-wide review by the then parent company, Premier Foods, in November 2007, to consolidate the manufacturing of a number of its key brands. The plant closed the following June with the loss of 95 jobs.
Thurles Town Council had granted initial permission for the planned development on September 13th last year, subject to 19 conditions to the original plans submitted, which related mainly to the size of the property and the required modifications to various road and access routes.
Baycross Developments Limited had put forward the plans for the demolition of the old Erin Foods factory, replacing it with a retail development which had included a Fast Food drive-through outlet, a Supermarket, Restaurant, two ESB Substations, Vehicular and Pedestrian access, a Cycle Track, the provision of two Roundabouts and other associated development works on the Slievenamon Road, Clongour, Thurles Town Parks area of the town.
The initial plans had attracted considerable local opposition from the Thurles’ business community, with concerns that such a large-scale complex proposed, would delete footfall from Liberty Sq, Thurles, with many understandably fearing that this new complex would now destroy the character and commercial activity, once so vibrant in the town centre.
Over a period spanning some 15 years to date, Thurles has lost some 1,700 jobs due to factory and other business closures, with none of these jobs having been replaced to-date .
Two communications sent recently by the tourism group Hidden Tipperary, to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton, in the hope of generating serious debate on the current jobless plight of Thurles, have as yet only received standard token acknowledgements.
Acknowledgement received:
Dear Mr Willoughby,I wish to acknowledge receipt of your email to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton TD.
I will bring your correspondence to the Minister’s attention at the earliest opportunity.Yours sincerely
Helen Pyke.
Minister Bruton’s Office.
Derrynaflan Hoard
Meanwhile the decision required to seek the repatriation of the Derrynaflan Hoard back to its home here in Thurles Co.Tipperary, now remains shrouded in secrecy. No information to-date has been made available to the public confirming an earlier communications from Noel Coonan TD, (Dated April 15th. last ) which stated that the matter would be decided by North Tipperary Co Council and Thurles Town Council, following the disclosure of ‘imaginary meetings,’ some two weeks previous.
It would appear, confirmed by local press reports, that our current Tipperary elected representatives are only interested in individual political point scoring, continuous waffling and the further enhancement of a political culture that in no way helps to expand mature public interest amongst their voting public.
This supercilious self-importance must immediately be haulted and remember you the voting public can immobilize this unashamed arrogance, beginning at the next local elections.
Another Shopping Centre would wreck the town.
It is a pity to see this refusal. Thurles badly needs all the employment it can get. Refusal again to one of our own, Richard Quirke. What a pity!
Mr Quirke, with the greatest respect, no one single person in Thurles would object to employment. Some people however are failing to see that yet another Supermarket would have the opposite effect. Have a read http://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/business/50-jobs-on-the-line-as-rathdowney-shopping-outlet-closes-1-3656882. Are we to create, via Supermarket competition, yet another Ghost Estate somewhere in Thurles, possibly Liberty Square. Please read: http://www.tipperarynorth.ie/planning/docs/plans_strategies/Final%20Thurles%20&%20Environs%20Dev%20Plan%20as%20adopted%2018.05.09.htm#_Toc205095240
If it had got the ‘Nod of Approval’, CostCutters, Aldi, Lidl, the 3 Centra’s, existing burger joints & restaurants would simply reduce their staff because of the competition. These now unemployed people would in many cases possibly get work in the new proposed establishment planned, but many would not, due to age, pay rates. Thus no real new employment.
What Thurles now needs is diversity, tourism promotion, a market in Liberty Square twice a week, free parking, the Derrynaflan Hoard and other historical artefacts associated, to be returned, allowing us to attract people/visitors.
Our poor quality Road Signs depend on the whim of the NRA. Our supply of abundant potholes are governed by central funding doled out by Phil Hogan to North Tipperary Co Council. We continue to employ local waffling councillors who are powerless to change any part of local environment & most of all we require some form of quality leadership, latter which is very much lacking amongst over paid public reps. Just look at the state of neglect in Thurles with broken pavements, potholes, bent signs and broken railings.
As was commented on Facebook “What the town needs is a factory that will employ 400 plus, with long term sustainable jobs that’ll put money in peoples pockets not take it out.
How many CEO’s of large companies have done a tour of Thurles courtesy of the IDA, with a view to setting up a factory in the vicinity lately? Ask our North Tipperary TD’s. North Tipperary is the only county that got not one single job via this same agency in at least the last 12 months.
This has got nothing to do with refusing “One of our own,” rather this is about our very preservation as a community.
Good move. Thurles is been turned into a Clone Town. It would have murdered Local Business! Dr. Quirke is a gambler he’s used to taking risks, more parks and less Shopping Centres a few meters away from each other, Dunne Stores (1/2 empty) has already caused enough irreversible damage to the Town. Nobody walks up the town on a Fri / Sat / Sun night to even go to the Capitol Cinema anymore, its like a Ghost Town except for the youngsters going around on Alcopops.
George. I love your Anti-Spam Questions (Required). I am just back on deck after once again my computer went down. I lost everything. So much for me thinking I was buying a reliable computer costing me $4,300.00 for computer and printer just 2 years ago always seems to happen when warranties run out!! Now here is an idea for Thurles a reliable computer shop not one of those large retail stores. I am sure something like a family store would bring work into the town. These small computer stores are opening up here everywhere and I find them much more helpful than these big chain stores.
George I was asked yesterday about a place in Thurles called “Harvest Lodge” is it a hotel or what!
I lost your answer about kissing the blarney stone and what is the significance of kissing it means.
Its Mother’s Day here in Australia so Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mother’s in Thurles.
Just thinking more on this. Wasn’t there a Shopping Superstore planned as part of the Two-Mile-Vegas project which was refused following complaints from Local Businesses in Thurles, Cashel, Clonmel etc.? So it’s actually quite disrespectful of Richard Quirke to assume then that Thurles Local Business should welcome such a Megastore (with a Drive Thru and Out on Motorway) on it’s doorstep, the same Local Business that stayed in Thurles, raised their families, payed local Council rates for many years. Richard Quirke actually owes an apology to these Thurles people who have probably faced a lot of uncertainty lately.
Which Quirke is replying above? Wesley, Damo or Ivor? You might ask your super rich father to start writing.
Firstly,I am no relation to Richard Quirke, alias Dr. Quirkey. Secondly, I stand by my comments and remember that our Local Council approved the Planning Permission with conditions. Were they wrong?
Firstly excuse me for making assumptions. Secondly, according to An Bord Pleanála looks like the Local Council are wrong and wouldn’t be the first Local Council in Ireland to be so when it comes to Planning Regulations.
Katie, Yes a few security changes were required. We have become to too popular as a site and “Spammers,” were targeting us. Sorry to hear about your own computer, but no matter now you are back in business.
Computer Shops: Here in Thurles we have 3 such trading computer shops in the town.
Regarding the Harvest Lodge,” & here you have caused a bit of a mystery. Only Harvest lodge I am aware of at present is an old Country House, now in ruins close to Lorrha north of the county, once owned by Thomas Johnston Stoney & later J.M. Wilson in the late 1800’s. However I will check.
Blarney Stone: Click here on this Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blarney_Stone