Green light in Laois for major overhaul of Portlaosie GAA club

Portlaoise GAA club has reached a milestone in its plans for the major redevelopment of its grounds with confirmation of a grant of conditional planning permission by Laois County Council.

Poignantly, the local authority informed the club of its decision to give the go-ahead in the same week as the club marked the second anniversary of the death of Eoin Fitzpatrick and his son Dylan. The project is being made possible with the significant financial support from the Fitzpatrick family in memory of Eoin and his son, who died tragically on holiday in Turkey in 2023.

The relatively swift planning process culminated on July 16 with the council giving the conditional green light to the Portlaoise club to proceed with its project largely in line with the application submitted in May this year. 

The construction of a new clubhouse, grandstand, and indoor training facility is the central element of what is likely to be a multi-million euro scheme.

This new building will include an indoor training field, changing rooms, communal areas, café/merchandise shop, town hall, gym, physio room, comms room, a function room and associated kitchen, bar, and meeting rooms. Four outdoor handball courts were also applied for.

Improvements for GAA players and spectators are also planned. One existing grass pitch will be converted to all-weather synthetic with the inclusion of new floodlights. Four dug-outs and two scoreboards will be developed along with one new spectator seating terrace with seating capacity for 420 fans.

The club wants to relocate of the existing car park to provide 227 car parking spaces with accessible spaces and EV spaces, bus set down area and four bus parking spaces. Nearly 230 cycle parking spaces are planned.

The council has put 17 conditions on the project, most of which relate to the construction process. The local authority has told the club that it would have to make a separate application for an overflow car park. 

The club also wants to carry out works to the R425 road to provide traffic calming measures to include a pedestrian crossing and a redesign of the existing vehicular entrance. The local authority has insisted that discussion must take place on the design of the changes planned and financial contributions before work begins.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live understands that talks are ongoing with contractors who have bid for the contract to develop the project.

Eamon Fennelly, joint chairperson of Portlaoise GAA commented on the council's decision.

“Portlaoise GAA club welcomes Laois County Council’s decision, subject to the final grant of planning being issued as outlined in the planning process. The project has been made possible through the generous support of Travis and Maryse Knight, in loving memory of Maryse’s brother and nephew, Eoin and Dylan Fitzpatrick.

"We are grateful to all who have helped bring the project to this point and we look forward to continuing to work with Laois County Council and all in the community of Portlaoise as the plan progresses,” he said.

Plans were presented to club members at a meeting in early May when it was also announced that work was expected to commence onsite in 2025. All going to plan, completion is projected by the summer of 2027. There are hopes that appointment of contractors will support local employment during the construction phase. More below photo.

Draft impression of new facilities.

A full grant of planning will be issued within a month of the period within which submissions may be made to An Commissiun Pleanala.

The plans were compiled bby Henry J Lyons Architects, in collaboration with the design team, and submitted on behalf of Portlaoise GAA in May.

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An architectural design statement provided to the council's planners said the proposed sports campus “re-imagines” Rathleague with the aim of “revitalising” for both club and community, which it is stated is “at the heart” of the project.

“The new campus will be an explicitly welcoming hub of activity for the broader community of Portlaoise,” said the statement finalised in May.

This is the third effort to extensively develop facilities in Rathleague.