Planning permission granted for development of Laois wellness retreat

Laois County Council has granted the construction of a new wellness centre in Ballinakill on a conditional basis.

Adam Brennan submitted the application in September of last year which proposed the construction of a wellness and accommodation facility in Aughnacross, Ballinakill.

The development includes nine individual holiday units or cabins, a natural swimming pool measuring 200 square metres and associated wellness facilities such as as yoga, meditation and treatment rooms. 

The application also seeks to renovate and add an extension to an existing stone structure on the site for the purpose of an administration building for the centre.

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Also included in the proposal is the modification of an existing passage way entrance, the construction of a wastewater treatment system, a solar panel bank and all other associated site works.

The site is located approximately 6km from Abbeyleix and has a total area of 3.9 hectares. 

The Appropriate Assessment Report found that there is not likely to be any significant impacts locally from the development of the site, a conclusion which was also reached on the environmental impact of the development. Uisce Éireann also had no objections to the proposal. Further information was requested on the logistics of the natural swimming pool included in the plans as well as on the proposed solar panels. More details were also required on the management of trees on the site, the materials used for parts of the construction of the pods, and access routes. 

Laois County Council agreed that the application supported the Council's aims of developing tourism in the area as stated in its Development Plan 2021-2027. It also noted that the wellness centre would be a significant boost to employment and tourism in the area. The local authority granted permission with 16 conditions attached.