Writes Ciaran Dineen
Aldi has today submitted a planning application to Cork County Council for a new 1,315sqm store in Carrigaline, which will create up to 30 jobs.
According to a statement from the retail chain, the new store will see a "substantial investment of €10M into the local area. The store will be centrally located on Main Street, Carrigaline, on the site of the old Carrigaline Pottery, which closed in 1979 after more than 50 years in business."
Construction of the proposed store will result in up to 60 jobs being created during the build. Featuring Aldi’s award-winning Project Fresh layout, the 1,315sqm store will be powered by 100% green electricity and will feature 52 Photovoltaic solar panels located on the roof. In addition, Carrigaline shoppers will also benefit from four electric vehicle charging points at the new store along with 12 bicycle rack stands.
The store is part of a larger development with Deady Gahan Architects Ltd, which outlines an ambitious vision for furthering the growth of Carrigaline’s town centre, including a new public plaza for the local community, a café, almost 80 residential units, and opportunities to develop further dining and leisure space. They say that there will be ample pedestrian and vehicle access through the site, both north/south and east/west, to ensure customers can easily access Carrigaline town centre.
Commenting, Colin Breslin, Aldi Regional Managing Director said: “We have been working closely with Cork County Council to open a store in Carrigaline for some time now and are delighted to submit our plans today."
Cork County Council have yet to receive the application at the time of writing, but the public can view the planning site notice which was erected on December 20th beside the former Chartbuster unit, which itself is currently undergoing a revamp, nine years after planning was granted for a retail/restaurant space.
Aldi, in conjunction with planning consultants Coakley O'Neill, revealed their intentions to build in Carrigaline earlier this year when they published a Masterplan for the old pottery site. Over the years, this site has been in particularly high demand given its strategic location and huge potential within Carrigaline. However, both Cork County Council and local councillors have been adamant that any future development on the site must take a holistic approach, meaning that pieces of land cannot be divided between different developers.
Once the application has been submitted to Cork County Council and further details emerge, The Carrigdhoun will keep you informed.