Council approves exciting plans for new 'landmark' Penneys store in busy Clare town

Clare County Council has granted permission to Primark for its planned new ‘flagship’ waterfront Penneys outlet in Ennis which it's estimated will deliver revenues of €14.26m per annum.

The planning authority has approved the proposal for a three storey-over basement outlet on a 1.3 acre site at Harmony Row, Bank Place and Bindon Lane, subject to 14 conditions.

The planned development site lies close to a pedestrian bridge across the River Fergus opposite the Abbey Street car park.

A retail impact assessment lodged with the application has stated that the Primark proposals have “the potential to act as a catalyst for the local economy, with increased inward investment and a significant level of new employment during both the construction and operational phases of the development”.

The new store in Ennis is also part of Primark's commitment to invest over €250m in Ireland over a ten-year period, which includes the development, relocation and/or refurbishment of its stores across the country.

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The Primark scheme for Ennis comprises a gross floor area of 3,550 square metres including ancillary uses comprising staff area, stockroom, plant rooms and other ancillary areas.

Commenting following confirmation of the council's decision, a spokeswoman for Primark said: “We know how much our customers in Ennis have wanted a new Penneys store and we’re now one step closer to making that happen. We look forward to sharing more details when we can.”

The proposal, which has now been approved, also involves the construction of a new public riverside pedestrian walkway from Bank Place to the existing pedestrian bridge over the River Fergus connecting to the existing pedestrian path from Harmony Row and modifications to the walkway of the existing pedestrian bridge.

Galway company, Briarlane Developments Ltd, which owns the 1.3 acre site, gave its consent for the application to be lodged as part of the planning process.

According to planning documents, three submissions were received from members of the public as part of the statutory planning process.

In one submission, an individual with an address in Ballyvaughan noted that Ennis is renowned for its unique cultural and historical character and they submitted that having “a fast fashion outlet of this size could dilute this unique identify making the town less appealing to tourists searching for authentic local experiences”.

A retail assessment drawn up by MKO and lodged with the application states the proposed development is in line with the Clare County Development Plan and provides for a “flagship waterfront development” of outstanding design and quality making a significant contribution to the overall appearance and amenity of the area. 

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The assessment states that the new Primark store "will also serve as a primary retail destination and encourage smaller retailers and other businesses to location within its vicinity creating a town-centre ambience and increasing both resident and visitor footfall within the area”.

The assessment contends that the planned interventions to the existing pedestrian walkway will further strengthen the connectivity to the riverwalk, seamlessly integrating the development with the rest of the neighbourhood, establishing the proposed development as a key landmark within the historic town centre. It adds that the proposed scheme will enhance the vitality of the town and integrate well with the existing shopping facilities, further improving suitability of the town centre retail accommodation for modern retailers whilst also maintaining the town’s historic character.

On vacant premises in Ennis town centre, the retail impact assessment states that recently the vacant rate increased to 18.6%, the highest in County Clare, reflecting a significant rise over the past year. 

It stated: “However, despite this, Ennis has generally fared better than other regions, particularly during and after the pandemic, and there have been positive efforts to reduce vacancies.”

The retail impact assessment also contends that the proposed development “will not have any adverse impact of any significance on the existing retail provision in the identified catchment area”. 

The report states: “There is significant expenditure available to help support the existing retail providers within the key town of Ennis.”

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The report also states that the Qualitative and Quantitative Assessments carried out “indicate that there is demand for new comparison retail within the Key Town of Ennis, which the proposed development will respond to and cater for”. 

It says that its findings demonstrate that the proposal “will not impact on the viability of the Key Town of Ennis, rather it will serve as a landmark waterfront development which will enable / encourage additional retail and commercial activity including attracting more residents to the area”.

The new outlet is expected to replace Penney's existing Ennis outlet in the Ennis Shopping Centre at Francis Street in the town.