Council’s restaurant go-ahead appealed
A DECISION by Wexford County Council to allow for the provision of a new restaurant in Rosslare has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.
Monigle Ltd had applied to the local authority for planning permission for the change of use of shop units with apartments overhead at Walsheslough, Rosslare, to a restaurant with associated storage. The application also sought the refurbishment of the unit including a ground floor extension and elevational changes.
Monigle which has an address at Harbour House, Church Lane in Wexford has four directors - Moira Fortune, Leonie Fortune, Glenda Fortune Scallan and Niall Fortune and their business activities are listed are the development and selling of real estate and building projects.
In her planning report of July 5 executive planning Niamh Lennon recommended that the council refuse permission for the development however in a supplementary planning report on July 6, senior executive planner Liam Bowe recommended that the permission get the go ahead.
In her report Ms Lennon said that as it stands the building is located in the centre of Rosslare Strand village and comprises two shop units on ground floor level with two apartments at first floor level.
Five submissions were received from members of the public. These came from Ron Walsh, Brian and Orlagh Carolan, Reginald and Liz Spelman, Maureen Dowling and others all of whom have addresses at Station Road, Rosslare while the fifth was received by Colette Gamble with an address in Leixlip, Co Kildare.
In her report Ms Lennon said the main areas of concerns in respect of the submissions were: the limited availability of public car parking in Rosslare Strand at peak season; objections to takeaway service and its associated impact on the adjoining residential amenity; inappropriate design; noise disturbance arising from the use of the take-away; inadequate refuse storage facility; odour concerns and a fear that the takeaway will become a late night gathering place for those leaving the Tides pub resulting in anti-social behaviour.
Ms Lennon said the proposal for the site is to combine two existing commercial units and two apartments and add a small ground floor extension to form one large unit. It is proposed to change the use of the unit to a restaurant with associated storage and office space level.
In respect of the design of the building Ms Lennon said that it was proposed to introduce vertical cladding boards and a stone clad shop front. She said that the vertical cladding is intended to reflect the beach nature of the area but said it appeared to represent more of a shed structure which is not in keeping with the character of the village centre.
She also said there is a public car park 40m east of the building but noted that traffic congestion in peak season in Rosslare Strand is a serious concern at this junction.
In her conclusion Ms Lennon said: ‘The proposed change of use from two retail units to a restaurant is acceptable in principle. However there are traffic safety concerns if the nature of the restaurant business encouraged short stay on-street parking, which cannot be provided in the immediate vicinity of the site.
‘This site is located along an already extremely busy road close to a busy junction and the development would therefore give rise to traffic congestion. The proposed cladding finish and the changes to the front elevation would render the building not in keeping with the village streetscape.
‘It has not been demonstrated that the use would not result in noise and odour problems for the occupiers of the nearby residential properties.’
She recommended that the development be refused permission on those grounds.
However senior executive planner Liam Bowe compiled a supplementary planning report the following day recommending the development be given the go ahead.
In his report he wrote: ‘The change of use to restaurant with associated storage over will have little or no impact on overall activity at the extremely busy nearby junction. The materials proposed by the architect have been carefully chosen to give the building a contemporary appearance and to reflect the seaside nature of the location. I consider that this will be a modern but interesting intervention in the streetscape at this location.
‘A restaurant use will attract a level of activity at this location in the village centre. There is a dwelling immediate to the rear of the proposed site and a dwelling on the site to the west. The only additional imposition on either of these dwellings will be the ground floor extension to the west.
Mr Bowe concluded that ‘This building is lying idle in Rosslare for a considerable time and a restaurant use would bring a welcome level of additional activity to the building and the village centre.
‘I consider this design suitable for this seaside village and with normal mitigation measures there should be no significant impact on the amenities of nearby residencies.’
He recommended that permission be granted subject to a number of conditions including that no plant associated with the restaurant be sited to the north of the roof light on the proposed flat roof extension; the payment of €158 in roads and community contributions; close nightly at 12 midnight and adequate internal refuse storage areas.
Planning was subsequently granted to Monigle Ltd but this has since been appealed to An Bord Pleanala by Ron Walsh, Colette Gamble, Maureen Dowling and Others, Mr and Mrs Spelman and Mr and Mrs Carolan who had all made the initial submission on the development to the council.
A decision is expected on November 27.