Laois roadside restaurant and B&B to be converted into children's care home

A landmark roadside restaurant, B&B and residence in Laois has been approved for conversion into a children's care home.

The family run Delaney's Roadhouse in Ballintogher, Ballybrittas had sought permission from Laois County Council in July 2024 with approval granted on January 10, 2025.

The single storey business open carpark fronts onto the R445 old Dublin Road, but the owners plan big changes to make it suited for its new use, changing the "haphazard fully open" entrance to a one way entrance and exit.

The refurbished building will have five bedrooms, one bathroom, two living rooms, a TV room, dining room, kitchen, storage and utility rooms. An extension already built with two self contained one bedroom apartments will be for clients who may need to be separate from the rest of the house, a total of 376sq metres.

A large new 105sq metre agricultural style green metal clad shed will offer an indoor place space, on the 1.02hectare site.

The approval is for "change of use from a dwelling/bed and breakfast / restaurant to a residential care home. New shed for use ancillary to care home, new rear extension, augmented entrance, new site boundary and all associated site works".

The applicants had stated that it will be used for "the community care of children with additional needs, as described in Class 13 exemption from planning permission".

"It is proposed to resolve the entrance arrangement from its current haphazard, fully open condition to a one way entry/exit system, with the exit being located to the east of the site. This is in order to achieve 180m sightlines in both directions.

"It is also proposed to construct a steel frame shed to the rear of the site, for use by the children as an open amenity space. These children would require sensory play areas, educational play spaces, etc. The use of this shed will be fully ancillary to the use of the main house".

Laois County Council had sought Further Information on the entrance, surface water drainage, lighting and the change of use from B&B, all of which were explained. The entrance will be landscaped with new soil and planting.