Planners to rule on major redevelopment of well-known county Kilkenny garage and shop

Kilkenny County Council is considering plans for a major redevelopment of a well-known county Kilkenny petrol station and store.

Last year Carroll’s Centra and Emo Oil in Knocktopher applied to the local authority for permission to redevelop the shop and forecourt to keep it in line with the needs of the 12,000-plus people it serves.

The original plans requested the phased demolition of the existing supermarket building with ancillary stores and offices as well as the demolition of the existing canopy over the fuel pumps.

The owner, Padraic Carroll, applied for permission to build a new supermarket building comprising of convenience shop with off-license, stores area, staff facilities, public toilets, internal seating area, solid fuel store, plant and bin storage area to the rear of the new building, as well as the construction of two new commercial units.

The plans also involved the construction of a new canopy over the fuel pumps, alterations to the layout of the fuel pumps/islands with an additional fuel pump, a new heavy goods vehicle fuel pump, a new automatic roller car wash, a realignment of the boundary and vehicular entrance to the existing hotel car park and the creation of a new exit lane onto the public road Whitecastle Lower, Ricesland, Knocktopher.

However, the council originally said the 750 metre square development was “excessive to serve the needs of the local rural population”. The council also received eight submissions from members of the public.

A retail impact assessment was subsequently submitted to the council as well as some alterations to the plans involving the commercial units. Planners are due to make a final decision on the development late next month.