Shannonbridge shock as tourist plan rejected

The community group behind ambitious plans for a tourist hostel, café and office space in the picturesque village of Shannonbridge has expressed its “deep disappointment” this week at the decision of Offaly County Council to refuse planning permission for the project.

Shannonbridge Action Group, which spearheaded plans to transform the derelict former Oliver Plunkett National School site in the heart of the village into a tourist hostel and community space, now plans to meet with Offaly County Council with a view to submitting a new planning application.

Offaly County Council refused the plans on traffic safety grounds, and ruled that the “substandard circulation route width,” along with perpendicular parking, would pose “access issues within the parking area and represent a threat to public safety by reason of traffic hazard”.

The local authority also found the limited east-west internal driveway width of five metres, and the overall parking layout of the proposed development, not to be in accordance with its design standard guidelines.

However, Vincent Darcy from Shannonbridge Action Group, which sought planning for the ambitious tourist and community project, said the parking situation in Shannonbridge had “always been a serious problem” and was one which needed to be addressed by the county council.

Vincent Darcy added that much of the traffic congestion in the village was as a result of the success of local business enterprises and the ability of the area to attract tourists.

“We are deeply disappointed at the outcome of our planning bid,” he said, “and while we are all feeling a bit raw at the minute, we will look at it again and we will engage with the council to see if the plans can be tweaked to get them over the line.”

Mr Darcy pointed out that, to date, up to €100,000 has been spent on the proposed development of the former Shannonbridge national school, with 75% of the monies coming from the Just Transition Fund (JTF) and the remaining 25% of matched funding coming from local businesses and the Diocesan Trust, who are the custodians of the school premises.

“We have come so far with this project, and there has been so much support from the local community and from the business people of Shannonbridge and surrounding areas, that it would be a huge disappointment if we were to give up now,” said Mr Darcy, who added that the local Action Group was “determined” to see the former school premises being redeveloped.

Shannonbridge Action Group initially submitted their planning application last November, and submitted revised plans for the project, including increasing the car parking spaces from five to 15 and increasing bicycle parking from 12 to 34 on foot of a further information request from the council in January of this year.

In their request for further information the council expressed concerns with regard to the level of parking provision proposed, and said it could “generate unsafe parking practices”. They requested the applicants to submit a report addressing these concerns, or to provide a revised car parking proposal.

Concerns were also expressed about the 12 cycling spaces proposed on the site, which the planning authority said was “not sufficient to cater for the potential demand.” They said the number of spaces should be “at least doubled.”

The plans lodged by Shannonbridge Action Group were for the demolition of an existing single-storey extension to the former school house, which is a protected structure, refurbishment of the premises, and minor alterations for community use.

Another single-storey extension to the protected structure, also for community use, was envisaged to encompass office space and a café. A standalone building for use as a tourist hostel was the other major element of the project, to be housed in a new part single-storey and part two-storey building with dining facilities.

External works would consist of public road improvements including widening and resurfacing of the existing footway and carriageway and realignment of the R357 Cloghan Road between Raghra Park and the R444 to facilitate off-site car parking. A new vehicular entrance would also be provided to the site from the Cloghan Road.

The plans also included the creation of a public realm to the front of the old school house and landscaping throughout the site.