Developer Eamon Duignan and his business partners have been given the go-ahead for a €125m shopping centre in Carlow that is expected to create 400 jobs during the construction phase. The scheme will involve the redevelopment of the Penneys site in the town, and the low-cost clothing retailer is to operate a shop at the redeveloped centre.

Planning was granted for the development despite the fact that An Bord Pleanala's inspector recommended it be refused on the basis that it would "be prejudicial to public health".

However, the board overruled that recommendation, stating that the site was zoned own-centre and therefore it was an appropriate form of development.

"In deciding not to accept the inspector's recommendation to refuse permission, the board considered
that the proposed development was in line with the policies set out in the current Carlow Town Development Plan, that it would
not be appropriate to
refuse permission for reasons of prematurity and that it would have a positive impact overall on the environment of Hanover Park," it stated.

Duignan will now be able to construct more than 62,000 square metres of shops, offices and apartments on the site of nearly seven acres. DTZ Sherry FitzGerald will let the new centre on behalf of the developer who has numerous retail interests.