Commercial car park "had no planning permission"

A pay and display car park in Irishtown, Athlone, had no planning permission to operate, according to a warning letter from Westmeath County Council.
The piece of land, at Irishtown, between Supermac's and what was previously the Paws Pet Shop premises, was the site of a commercial car park for a number of years.
The Westmeath Independent has learned that last year, Westmeath County Council, following a query from a member of the public, investigated the “establishment and operation of a commercial car parking business and the erection of signage and a parking ticket issuing machine associated with the commercial car parking business.”
As a result, it issued a warning letter, under the Planning and Development Act, to Earls Holdings Ltd, the owners of the land on which the car park was located.
Earls Holdings Ltd replied that it had been in receivership since February 8, 2012. 
In a written response to the council, Kieran Wallace of KPMG confirmed he was receiver and manager over the assets and undertakings of Earls Holdings Limited, including the specific lands at Irishtown.
Mr Wallace told the council he was not aware that the use of the land as a car park was an unauthorised development.
He confirmed he had instructed APCOA, the company operating the car park pay and display system, to cease from July 3, 2016.
The car park was the subject of some controversy locally, with a strict clamping policy in force for those who did not adhere to the terms of the pay and display regime in operation there.
Neither KPMG, Earls Holdings Ltd nor APCOA responded to request for comment.