Planning permission granted at landmark site in Laois town

Conditional planning permission has been approved at a landmark premises in the heart of Abbeyleix. 

The planning application at Abbeygate, Market Square in Abbeyleix to vary a previous application to turn the Folkhouse Pub into two shops and a cafe on the ground floor and create 13 office units on the first floor was granted subject to 16 conditions.  

The earlier plans included the demolition of the front lobby to the bar and the installation of new shop fronts together with conservation works to the protected structure. It also included an extension at the rear with 69 car parking spaces and a part-licensed supermarket of 940 sqm floor area.  That application was approved subject to 24 conditions in November 2015. 

The latest application to vary those plans by changing the office space on the first floor into three apartments. It also proposes turning a ground floor unit into a two storey residential property.

The recently approved variations are “to include (A) change of use from office space to 3 no. apartments on the 1st floor, (B) changing unit on ground floor to a two storey residential unit and to include new windows and doors and extension to same including raising existing roof, (C) to raise the roof and walls to the rear of main roof to form a flat rood(Sic) and (D) to form private amenity spaces to the three 1st floor apartments and all associated and necessary works.” 

There was one submission in relation to the plans. It was made by Sadie and Pat Phelan who farm beside the proposed development. 

They stated that while they have a three strand barbed wire fence around the boundary with the proposed development, they want the developer to erect a seven foot wall or fence along the boundary. The couple say this is necessary to “protect our land from trespassing” from the site. 

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The application to vary the previous planning permission was approved subject on Thursday, June 29.