Smyths Toys makes submission to An Bord Pleanála stating new MetroLink would involve demolition of north Dublin store

In a submission to An Bord Pleanála on the draft Railway Order for the MetroLink, Smyths Toys states that under the draft order, “the existing store would need to be demolished”.

The toy retailer has told the appeals board that an alternative site for the existing store has not been identified in the planning report for the MetroLink.

As part of an 11-page submission on the draft Railway Order, planning consultant for Smyths Toys, Robert Nowlan, contends that the draft order should not be confirmed in the absence of an alternative site being found for the toy store.

Mr Nowlan of RW Nowlan & Associates states that the Smyths outlet at Airside Retail Park employs 50 and can increase to 90 employees at peak times.

The Smyths toy store has a floor area of 2,600 square metres on the ground floor with a mezzanine floor of 700 square metres.

He contends that the “potential loss to Smyths Toys of the store would have major implications for servicing this strategic area”.

Mr Nowlan states that the current Smyths store was a replacement for a previous Smyths outlet, as the former outlet was not able to meet customer demand due to its size.

Trading in the current premises commenced in 2015. He adds that market research commissioned by the firm has found that there is currently no suitable vacant location available within the population catchment area which can cater for the level of trade generated in the Airside Retail Park .

Mr Nowlan contends that the proposed Railway Order and accompanying planning report are deficient as no provision is made in the proposed Railway Order for a relocation or replacement of the existing Smyths store.

The planning consultant claims that the proposed demolition of the Smyths outlet materially contravenes a zoning objective in the current and draft Fingal County Development Plan.

He says “it is essential for Smyths Toys Superstores business that a replacement site be found in the vicinity of the current site”, adding: “This is not adequately addressed in the Railway Order”.

Smyths is one of the country’s most successful businesses. Revenues at the firm, across its Irish and UK operations, passed the €1bn mark for the first time in 2021.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) draft railway order in May.