Ex-Offaly councillor gets go-ahead to convert stables into tourist apartments

A former Fianna Fail councillor for the north Offaly area has been given the go-ahead to convert stables and a domestic garage at his family home on the outskirts of Edenderry into short-stay self catering accommodation.

Offaly County Council planners granted permission to Ardnaranla Hospitality Ltd for a change of use of existing stables and domestic garage to accommodate eight tourism self catering short-term let apartments at ground level. Permission was also granted for the installation of two secondary treatment systems and polishing filters, along with associated works, at Shean, Edenderry,

The director of Ardnaranla Hospitality Ltd are listed on the planning documents as Gerard and Naomi Killally. Mr Killally formerly served as a Fianna Fail councillor on Offaly County Council for a ten-year period from 1999 to 2009, during which time he was elected as chair of the council. He also unsuccessfully contested two Dáil elections and one Seanad election on behalf of Fianna Fail.

Among the ten conditions attached to the grant of planning permission is one stating that the self-catering short term let apartments be used for “tourist accommodation only” and that the maximum length of stay of any occupant “shall not exceed 14 consecutive days.”

Council planners have also stipulated that the dwellings are to be serviced by the Ballykilleen Group Water Scheme and must not be occupied until there is a “safe and adequte connection” to the scheme.

A letter on the planning file from the local group water scheme, with an address at St. Mary's Parish Centre in Edenderry, confirms that they have “an agreement in place wth the applicants” to provide water to the proposed eight short term residential apartments at Shean.

As part of a further information request sent to the applicants in February of this year, Offaly County Council asked for a business plan to be submitted indicating “the objectives and aims” of the proposed tourism accommodation at Shean, and the benefits to the local community. They also requested the applicants to provide “a comprehensive justification” of the need for the development given its location in a rural area

In a 14-page document submitted to council planners, the applicants stated that the town of Edenderry is “decades behind” tourism accommodation in other parts of Offaly and lacks sufficient short-term accommodation for the surrounding tourism sector, especially locally.

“Indeed, the nearest bed and breakfast to our site is perpetually at full capacity, even used by the HSE on occasion,” states the document, which adds that, beyond that, the nearest accommodation was more than 20km away in Tullamore, Mullingar or Portlaoise. It adds that the lack of local high quality accommodation would “predictably allow this accommodation to successfully fill a market gap”.

The applicants also state in their further information document that the proposed project- which is part of an overall site comprising some 10 acres - will see the relocation of the present stables' 30-plus horses to “a future structure” which has already been granted planning permission and will be constructed beside the present building.

“Our 30+ horses would thus be rotated amidst their new shelter, in addition to the surrounding vast fields, and our sand arena for training. These beautiful animals range in type, particularly including but not limited to Connemara. Their presence would emphasise the pastoral edge and provide up-close animal engagement for the tourist experience,” they stated.