Core Refusal Reason
The proposal fails to meet Fáilte Ireland's minimum regulatory standards for guesthouse classification and lacks a comprehensive Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment to justify significant alterations to a Protected Structure.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed development fails to meet the minimum Fáilte Ireland classification criteria for a guesthouse, specifically regarding the required number of bedrooms, minimum floor areas, and the provision of essential communal facilities such as a reception area and kitchen.
- Insufficient information and the absence of a formal Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment prevent a full assessment of the impact of proposed internal and external alterations on the character and integrity of the Protected Structure.
- The application lacks adequate technical details regarding surface water, foul sewer, and watermain layouts, alongside necessary fire safety measures including lobby protection for the internal staircase.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Policy BHP-04 of the Birr LAPSection 11.3 of the Birr LAPTable 11.1 of the Birr LAPDMS-84 of the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027Protected Structure Ref. No. 53-232
Decision Document Summary
This planning application sought a change of use from a commercial unit to a 6-bedroom guesthouse at 1 Market Square, Birr, Co. Offaly, a designated Protected Structure. While the proposed use is 'permitted in principle' under the Birr Local Area Plan, the Planning Authority identified significant concerns regarding the functional viability of the layout, which fails to meet national guesthouse standards. The recommendation for further information (effectively stalling the development) was issue...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
Note: If code appears below, the council site is blocking the preview. Please open the original file.