Major Laois service station and shop to be turned into car showroom

One of the busiest petrol stations in Laois is planning to close and convert to a motor sales showroom.

Downey's Autostop Ltd is based on the Dublin Road in Portlaoise where they have a filling station, several car dealership and a garage.

The Portlaoise owned company has lodged an application to change their convenience store to a showroom, and remove the forecourt canopy and underground fuel tanks.

Their application is made to Laois County Council.

It seeks to "change use from convenience store to motor sales show room and for permission to alter the existing building".

"The development will consist of modifications to existing building internally and modifications to existing façade, removal of existing forecourt canopy and existing underground tanks and to upgrade existing totem sign, to add new customer handover space to rear with canopy over, new boundary treatments and all associated site works".

The application was submitted on March 9, with a planning decision due in May.

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The change may not be as dramatic as it appears however.

The company recently gave notice that it intends to submit planning for a big new filling station next door.

That plan, while not yet submitted to Laois County Council, is to consist of the removal of an existing building and to construct a new two storey petrol filling station and licenced forecourt convenience store comprising of retail shop, delicatessen area, toilets, stores, ATM, seating area with full off-licence to ground floor.

The application includes: staff facilities with canteen, office spaces, plant space and external plant to first floor. New forecourt with canopy, pump islands, signage, illuminated roadside totem signage, services area, carwash, underground fuel storage
tanks, EV charging, car-parking, fuel offloading point.

That planned project would see the site entrance relocated with landscaping at the Leinster Express business park.

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