Pat McDonagh plans to open new €12 million Supermac’s Plaza

It will be the first forecourt the fast-food supremo opens in the North, as the group begins to further expand the successful chain, says Irish Business Post.

Softdrive, a holding company for SuperMac’s, is seeking to open the outlet between Aughnacloy and Ballygawley as part of a huge multi-million pound development.

It will be the first’s second outlet in Northern Ireland, but it’s first forecourt (SuperMac’s currently operates an outlet in the Foyle Centre in Derry).

Pat McDonagh has been rapidly expanding his  plazas since winning the landmark legal case against McDonald’s last year, over the use of the Big Mac name.

Proposals for a mixed-use development, comprising a petrol filling station and food court – consisting of three hot-food units and a drive-thru – as well as Spar store have been drawn u are currently with Mid-Ulster District Council for consideration.

The proposals will see the creation of 35 new jobs when up and running.

The site is on “lands at and bound by Annaghilla Road, Tullyvar Road and Tullybryan Road, Ballygawley”.

A report in the Armagh i says that the new 24-hours filling station – to be operated by Texaco – will provide 12 fuel pumps in a central island.

The associated building – of 999 sq metres to be precise – will comprise a Spar unit, food court with open plan seating and welfare facilities.

The retail unit for fuel payment will also sell ‘grab-and-go’ goods for customers.

The food court will have seating for over 100 – for hot use by customers of the new hot food/deli counters and the drive-thru.

Supermac’s – which has just one other Northern Ireland at Foyleside in Derry/Londonderry – would become the new drive-thru operator. It is understood the affiliated Papa John’s Pizza is also in the pipeline, as well as SuperSubs, offering subs, salads, wraps and soups.

The report continues that there will be ‘parking available for over 100 cars and 10 HGV/bus spaces. There will also be disabled parking and 10 electric vehicle charging points, and an enclosed service yard to the rear.

‘There are extensive landscaping plans too, while footpaths surrounding the development will boast dropped kerbs and tactile paving between the car parking areas and the building for safe means of movement.

‘A new access is proposed onto the Tullybryan Road and there would be a one-way system within the site, with separate parking areas for car and HGVs and buses, for ease of traffic flow and manoeuvring.

‘The site is described as being situated on the edge of Ballygawley.

‘A design and access statement says the site is located at a junction along the A4 and A5 and benefits from traffic travelling Omagh – Belfast, Enniskillen – Belfast and Omagh – Aughnacloy / RoI. The main traffic routes are along the A4 to the south of the site and A5 to the east.

‘The nearest petrol filling station to the site, according to the design statement, is Dalys in Aughnacloy – approximately four miles away.

The design and access statement concludes: “This planning application seeks full planning permission for proposed petrol filling station comprising retail unit, food court, drive thru, parking, access onto Tullybryan Road, landscaping, lighting, CCTV, retaining walls, cut and fill, package treatment plant and ancillary site works.

“The proposed development will not result in any unacceptable impacts on the local character, environmental quality or residential amenity of the wider area and has been appropriately designed by way of a sympathetic bulk, scale, mass and materials.”

In a recent article in the Irish Independent on Pat McDonagh shared his concerns about the rate of crime and abuse of staff on Irish forecourts.

McDonagh says his company is seeing a “huge amount of drive-offs” and increasing abuse from customers is forcing workers to quit Supermac’s boss says rural Ireland is rife with cocaine.