New filling station planned for Allen

A COUPLE who are looking to open a first service station in Allen in five years will have to wait less than two months to discover whether their ambitious plan will get the go-ahead from the planners.

Joseph Hpoan and Helena Boyd have submitted plans to Kildare County Council for an eight-bay service station on a 1.03Ha (2.5ac) at Allen Cross on the main Newbridge-Allenwood Road (R415). The plan includes for a single storey services building to contain a neighbourhood convenience store, an off-licence, a deli counter and kitchen, a coffee dock, some offices and a place for tourist information, as it is less than a kilometre from the summit of the historic Hill of Allen.

For the exterior, there will be a canopy over the eight fuelling bays, and the couple are planning a picnic area, a kid’s play area, bike and car parking, EV charge points, and a single bay for HGV refuelling.

The total floor space of the shop will not exceed 100sqm in line with retail planning policy, they expect to be able to employ up to 20 staff, and projected opening hours will be from 7am to 10pm.

While their application was only submitted on 15 December, the planners have offered a very optimistic prediction on their decision, saying it should be due by just 17 February.

The build will be under the professional hands of Terry and O’Flanagan Architects from Oak Road, Dublin 12.

In their ‘Context and Location Justification’ statement to the planners, the applicants note: ‘Allen is a small community with no local services such as a shop supporting the neighbourhood. The only filling station, an older-style one with pumps along the Main Street and a small shop, closed five years ago [and] since then the village has had to rely on Kilmeague, though even there, options remain very limited.

‘The nearest functioning filling station is located six kilometres to the north in Allenwood. In this context, the design of a new, multi-service facility that also includes a deli, a mini-market, and EV charging becomes particularly important,’ they argue.

‘In rural areas, these expanded service stations can act as essential local shops, helping to fill a gap in the local retail landscape.’ 

The outdoor areas will be fully landscaped, and the building will be clad in a composite wood covering, which ‘gives the building a warm, organic feel that connects it to its rural landscape … rather than standing out as an industrial structure’.

“Unlike the typical illuminated station designs found in city centres and motorways, which rely on bright colours and bold advertising to stand out, this design avoids such elements to prevent overwhelming the tranquil setting.

‘In a peaceful rural landscape, the presence of a brightly-coloured, attention-grabbing station would disrupt the serenity, and clash with the natural surroundings. Instead, the station adopts a more understated and subtle design that harmonises with its environment.’