Róisín Shortall
Ceist:32 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will make a statement on his recent announcement on the limits on retail outlet size. [5161/01]
Written Answers. - Retail Sector Developments.
I published retail planning guidelines on 2 January 2001. These guidelines have been issued as ministerial guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Section 28 of the 2000 Act provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála must have regard to any such guidelines in the performance of their planning functions.
The guidelines confirm the cap of 3,000 mf7>2 net retail floorspace on large food stores except in the Greater Dublin Area, where it has been increased to 3,500 mf7>2. The higher cap in the greater Dublin area is in line with the report by Roger Tym & Partners, published in April 1999, and has regard to the greater size and density of population in the greater Dublin area, the close proximity of residential areas to established town centres and the size of populations contained within the catchment areas of retail centres.
The retail planning guidelines also contain a range of other floorspace caps and development control criteria in relation to various types of retail development. I am satisfied that the guidelines address all the complex planning issues arising from large-scale retail development and will be an essential tool for planning authorities when deciding on planning applications for retail development.