'One of a kind' Space Exploration Centre in Athlone gets planning approval

A plan to develop an interactive National Space Exploration Centre in Athlone, which would cater to both educational and recreational visitors, was awarded planning permission this week.

The project is earmarked for a unit in Westpoint Retail Park in Monksland, and is described as being "the only one of its kind" in Ireland.

The galaxy-exploring facility is due to be developed by a company called Metaversal Ltd, which is directed by Athlone resident Richard O'Hara, of the Baysports water park in Hodson Bay, and his son, Richard O'Hara Jr.

The centre is expected to create three full-time and 19 part-time jobs, and is set to include an interactive space museum with up to 45 exhibitions.

In addition, it's due to have a virtual reality (VR) space mission experience, an auditorium area for children, young people and adults, as well as a café and merchandising store.

The gross floor area of the centre would cover more than 18,500 square feet, and would be distributed over two floors, including a first-floor mezzanine area.

The planning application from Metaversal Ltd stated that the large-scale project would "significantly enhance" the tourism offering in Athlone, and would contribute to employment opportunities in the town.

It also pointed out that the creation of science museums had proven to be "very successful in other countries".

In addition it said that, pending a successful application, the project may be funded by the EU Just Transition grant aid scheme.

A planning statement on behalf of the applicant, which was submitted by David Mulcahy Planning Consultants, stated that the National Space Exploration Centre "will be the home of space education and exploration in Ireland".

It added that the museum at the centre "communicates how important our planet is, highlighting the positive and negative impact which human activity has on our world".

During the academic year, the centre will "aim to attract students from primary, secondary and third level institutions," while at weekends and during holiday periods it will be "open to the public as a tourism and leisure attraction, while events and exhibitions will take place throughout the year, ranging from science and technology to cultural, heritage and seasonal events".

The planning application was submitted to Roscommon County Council in May, and in its decision on Monday, July 15, the local authority gave it the go-ahead, subject to eight conditions.

These included that the opening hours of the centre must be between 8am and 8pm each day.