Work begins on site for mullingars new lidl store

Work has begun on the site at which Lidl's new Mullingar store is to go, on the Ballymahon Road.

Construction crews are busy onsite preparing the groundworks for the store, which will be Mullingar's second.

The supermarket is to go on the site on which the old Horizon ballroom - which played host in the past to music giants such as Thin Lizzy, Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves - was located.

The Horizon ballroom went out of use in the 1980s, and was demolished in 2007.

Lidl received permission from An Bord Pleanála for the development in May of this year.

The firm's application was for a single-storey mono-pitch roofed discount foodstore with ancillary off-licence sales, and for provision of a 79-vehicle car park.

The refusal by Westmeath County Council last year was on the grounds that if permitted, the development would become a retailing destination in its own right, and would thus undermine the vitality and viability of Mullingar town centre.

The inspector from An Bord Pleanála ruled that subject to compliance with certain stated conditions, the development would be an appropriate form of development at Grange, and that it would not seriously injure the amenities of the area, or of prroperty in the vicinity.

Among the conditions subject to which the permissionw as granted are that improved acoustic screening be provided, and revised signage proposals, and that soft landscaping be completed prior to opening of the development.

Other conditions relate to finishes, cabling, construction traffic parking, construction period noise levels, and to construction hours, as well as to water supply and drainage arrangements.

The inspector also laid down as a condition that prior to work starting, the developer submit a revised layout drawing showing a dedicated pedestrian crossing to serve Grange and Woodlands customers.