Planners approve exclusive new Laois venue by Stripe billionaire and an Irish Michelin star chef

The path is clear for an exclusive new Laois venue in Abbeyleix, set to be as luxurious as the nearby Ballyfin House hotel.

Laois County Council has approved a planning application for a restaurant and 16 bedroom guesthouse to Comhlacht na Féirme Ltd, the company that runs Abbey Leix House for owner, Stripe founder John Collision.

The venue will be run by the former head chef at the Michelin starred restaurant Bastible, Cuán Greene, 32, from Dublin.

It will follow a €6 million restoration of the derelict ruins of the beautiful Millbrook House, on the edge of the 1,000 acre Abbey Leix House estate, former seat of the DeVesci family.

Artist's impression of the restored Millbrook House.

A four acre farm is an intrinsic part of the venue, with the standalone modern restaurant building using its fresh hyperlocal produce.

The chef describes his vision for the Abbeyleix business.

"Ómós (Oh-Mose), meaning homage, duty, and respect in Irish, has already been 3 years in the making. Some of you may be familiar with the weekly newsletter of the same name, which over the last couple of years has focused on providing our readers with stories about food, community, craft, and innovations.

"We’ve wanted to expand on this caravan of ideas, and continue the growth of our community, and are delighted to have found a home 2km from the town of Abbeyleix in Co. Laois. Ómós will be a restaurant to explore, cook, and create. A guesthouse to rest, let go and dream. A garden to grow, regenerate, and nurture the land. In due course, I look forward to welcoming you all into our home," he said on social media. 

The proposed Ómós restaurant.

Millbrook House manor was bought by John Collison for €400,000 from Laois County Council. The council had bought it from the previous owner by Compulsory Purchase Order, with the plan to sell it immediately on to a buyer to save it from complete dereliction.

A local resident made a lengthy submission against the planning application.

Roisin McEniry of Willowbrook House in Abbeyleix, had argued that the house was sold on condition it would be a residence, and the plans represented "commercial development by stealth".

She said it would "reduce the quality of life for neighbouring residents" because of increased noise, lights and traffic. She said it contravened town centre first planning, as there are 14 empty commercial units in Abbeyleix town. She said there had been no local consultation, and also raised questions of access, traffic, parking, environmental impact and "harm to host building".

Inland Fisheries Ireland requested actions to protect the nearby Ballymullen Stream, a tributary of the protected Nore river.

The permit is for:

"The restoration of the external elevations of Millbrook House (including extant original windows) and all of the coach house, including the upgrade of the historic timber sash windows with double glazing units;

"The reconstruction of the three principal reception rooms of Millbrook House along with other ancillary spaces and new windows.

"The construction of a new roof, including dormer windows, and a full height corner extension (2.5 storey) to Millbrook House, and standalone 1.5 storey structure 139sqm to the rear.

"The adaptation of the remaining internal spaces of Millbrook House and the coach house to provide guest accommodation; including upgrade of building services.

"The above works will result in a total of 16 guest bedrooms across Millbrook House (with extension) (899 sq m), coach house (145 sq m) and proposed 1.5 storey structure (139 sq m).

"The development will also consist of the construction of a restaurant building (688 sq m), comprising two single storey buildings and external terraces, at the western part of the site, arranged within gardens and courtyards.

"The development will also consist of car parking, bicycle parking, landscaping, servicing yard, waste storage shed, alterations to boundary treatment, including the provision of a new service entrance and widening of the main entrance, site lighting, wastewater treatment plant and percolation."