From the Galway City Tribune – The company behind the SuperValu supermarket chain has taken ownership of a significant landbank between Knocknacarra and Kingston.

Cedarglade Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Musgraves, has listed itself as the owner of almost 14 acres of land off the Western Distributor Road.

Part of that site was previously the subject of a proposal for a €30 million shopping complex which was turned down by planners – the ‘Kingston Cross’ scheme was to be anchored by Tesco and sports retail giant Decathlon.

The Musgrave Group is expected to draw up plans for a major development on the site.

In a planning application currently before Galway City Council, Cedarglade Ltd – a Musgrave Group subsidiary which operates the SuperValu and Centra brands – has sought permission to retain existing and erect new security fencing around the lands for a period of three years.

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According to the application, the fencing is being provided to secure the landbank – which sits on the opposite side of the Western Distributor Road to Aldi and Lidl – for health and safety reasons. Cedarglade has declared itself as owner of the lands in the planning application.

An Bord Pleanála refused permission last year for a €30 million shopping complex on part of the lands, ruling that it would be “deficient and substandard in quality”.

1 Kingston Cross Ltd, which is ultimately owned by Alanis Capital and the US vulture fund Oaktree Capital, told the Planning Appeals Board they received a “hostile reception” to their proposals, and accused Galway City Council of resisting any form of development on the lands. The Kingston Cross company owned the lands at the time, and still owns Gateway Shopping Park on the opposite side of the Western Distributor Road.

A spokesperson for the Musgrave Group had not responded to queries from the Galway City Tribune at the time of publication.

Musgraves also own brands such as Daybreak, Mace, La Rousse Foods, Donnybrook Fair, Frank and Honest Coffee, and employs more than 41,000 people across 1,000 stores in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Spain. Last year, the company acquired the iconic McCambridges business on Shop Street in Galway.