The national tendency away from public houses has definitely arrived in Athlone with the news that at least three neighbouring retailers have applications pending to convert a portion or additional portion of their premises into off-licences.
John Croughan on Castlemaine Street, John O’Neill at Londis on the Dublin Road and Ann Hayden at 88, Sean Costello Street are all seeking permission to open an area of off-sales on their properties in the near future.
As it stands, the latter two have the more advanced applications as both have been asked to submit further information to the planning department, whereas the Croughan application has only just been received after having previously been invalidated.
The hospitality industry figures large in the rest of the recent planning notices with Ms Valerie Case getting permission to renovate and reinstate her shopfront and restaurant at 16, Mardyke Street.
Meanwhile out on the Dublin Road, opposite the AIT, Dermot Flynn’s application to retain the changes at the Club Sandwich is at an advanced stage.
Anglo Construction at the Texas Centre in Irishtown has been given the green light to retain its new truck bay, the three new shopfronts and nine maisonettes on St Mary’s Place to the rear of the centre.
Twelve apartments in two blocks have been allowed to stay after William Campbell was given permission to retain said development at River Dene on the Coosan Road.
The local GAA club has submitted plans to build a floodlit training pitch at Pairc Chiaran.
Denise Lynch has applied to convert a three storey dwelling into commercial units at 1, Bridge Street, while McInerney Homes is looking to make a number of adjustments to its new estate in Cornamaddy, namely to convert four 2-bed terraced houses into 3-bed units and adjust the floor plans of a further 14 terraced dwellings at that address.
The only refusal of note around Athlone in the last fortnight was issued to Tesco Ireland which was refused permission for a 13 sqm sign at Golden Island.
