The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has initiated a Public Consultation on revised draft Retail Planning Guidelines. When finalised, the revised Guidelines will replace those issued in 2005. The proposed revised guidelines take into account the recommendations of a Forfás study review of the economic impact of the retail cap (April 2011). This study was undertaken as part of the terms of the EU/IMF programme for financial support.
Amongst the key changes being proposed in the draft guidelines are:
- Changing the convenience retail floorspace cap to a three tier approach providing for a differentiation in cap limits between Dublin (4000 m sq), the other four main cities – Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford (3500 m sq) and the remainder of the country (3000 mm sq).
- Retail warehouse floorspace cap to be maintained at 6000 m sq with specific criteria to allow for an exemption within the National Spatial Strategy gateway cities and towns.
- Petrol filling station shops floorspace cap to be maintained at 100 m sq irrespective of location.
Submissions in relation to the proposal are requested no later than Tuesday 20 December 2011.
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