The fuel and retail chain were appealing an original decision by Tipperary County Council to refuse planning permission for the project.
The plans submitted by Topaz Energy Ltd were for an off-line motorway service area at Tullaheady to the south west of the town.
This would consist of six fuel pumps for cars and a 3 pump island for heavy goods vehicles along with a drive through restaurant, food court and a convenience store. The plans also included over a hundred parking spaces as as well as electric car charging points and a car wash facility.
However Tipperary County Council rejected the application citing traffic hazards and the potential for noise pollution among the reasons. The proposal was also deemed to contravene the North Tipperary County Development Plan and wasn't supported by a Retail Impact Assessment.
In upholding the local authority decision this week – An Bord Pleanala rejected Topaz's appeal on several grounds.
The planning inspectors ruled the location of the project was unsuitable, that access would be substandard resulting in a traffic hazard, it would impact negatively on a nearby dwelling, detract business from Nenagh and would set an unacceptable precedent for further such developments.
