Refusal of coffee container at Laois GAA Club appealed

An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala in a bid to keep a container that sells coffee and snacks at a GAA Club in Laois. 

Last month Laois County Council had refused retention planning permission for the container that sold coffee and food snacks at the GAA Club.  

Owen Donegan had applied to “retain erection of a mobile coffee and food snack container in the grounds of Portarlington GAA Club, along with connections to mains water and electricity from Portarlington GAA Club House and all associated site works”. 

The container was located at Portarlington GAA Club at McCann Park on Canal Road in Portarlington. 

A landowner consent agreement signed by Chairperson of Portarlington GAA, Niamh Maher, accompanied the application, which had was lodged with Laois County Council in July. 

However, the council rejected the application and said: “The proposed development is located on lands zoned Open Space and Amenity in the Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2018-2024. 

A café or a retail use not permissible on lands zoned Open Space and Amenity. The proposed development would, if permitted, materially contravene the Portarlington Joint Local Area Plan 2018-2024 and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.” 

Laois County Council refused retention planning permission for the container on August 23, 2024. 

Owen Donegan has now challenged that planning refusal in an appeal to An Bord Pleanala. His appeal was lodged with the planning authority on September 17. A decision is expected to be made by January 29, 2025.