Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 654: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that large furniture outlets (details supplied) have been forced by London local authorities to reduce their store size and provide residential accommodation on the same site; and his views on whether this might have relevance for the development of sites in Ballymun or elsewhere. [30581/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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While my Department monitors trends in planning policies, and their implementation, in the UK and elsewhere, I have no specific information about this particular case. I am aware from media reports that the company referred to has applied for planning permission for what it terms a smaller store of about 20,000 sq. m. laid out over three levels in London, which the company says will be first in a series of smaller stores in town centres across Britain. The company already operates a network of some 13 stores in the UK. Eight of these 13 stores are in excess of 20,000 sq. m. and all of them are in excess of 15,000 sq. m., more than double the size of the floorspace cap of 6,000 sq. m. which applied to retail warehouses in Ireland. Planning policies and their implementation in Ireland must be responsive to the circumstances here rather than the entirely different circumstances that may apply in another jurisdiction.

As regards the development of sites in Ballymun or elsewhere, I am aware that the draft north Ballymun local area plan was put on display by Fingal County Council on 14 September. The closing date for comments and submissions is 26 October. Adoption of the local area plan will be a matter in due course for Fingal County Council and any proposed subsequent development would be subject to the statutory process for deciding planning applications.