Woodie’s DIY objects to MetroLink, fears disruption to Swords store

They put together a 22 page objection against the MetroLink.

There's one group who are not as excited about Dublin's MetroLink plans, and that's Woodie's DIY. According to RTÉ News,

"The Grafton Group-owned Woodies DIY is objecting to the draft Railway Order for the planned Dublin MetroLink over the impact it will have on a Woodies DIY outlet in Swords in north Dublin."

The Swords outlet is huge, with a garden centre and a car park that joins onto the Seatown roundabout in Swords, with a capacity for 170 cars. They felt strongly enough about the possible impact the MetroLink would have that the planning consultant for Woodie's Alan Whelan put together a "22 page objection" stating that the current proposal "will have an unacceptable impact on businesses such as Woodies." First announced under the name of Metro Dublin all the way back in 2000, MetroLink is set to consist of a new railway between Swords and Charlemont in the capital. It is said the route will be mostly underground and serve multiple residential communities, such as Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as Dublin Airport and the City Centre. The MetroLink is to have 16 new stations, with the ability to carry 53 million passengers a year. According to RTÉ News, Whelan is concerned about the length of the construction period, as well as the "negative impact" it will have on the Woodie's Swords site as a whole. Whelan instead has suggested that the negative impact can be avoided by "a simple re-alignment of the scheme at the location." Header images via Shutterstock (of Louth store) & Twitter/Dept_Transport READ ON: PICS: This Howth garden estate is Dublin's most expensive property at €10 million