Decision reached on Laois Tirlán Farmlife branch plans

A Laois Tirlán Farmlife branch has secured conditional retention planning permission in respect of a store on the Laois side of Carlow town.

It follows an appeal against a retention planning permission lodged with Laois County Council for the removal of trees, erection of signage and permission for boundary hedging, with associated works at the Tirlán Farmlife Graiguecullen Branch, Portlaoise Road Carlow town, Co Laois

The retention plans, which were second similar application to have been lodged in respect of the development, had been conditionally granted by Laois County Council but they were appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála by Fergus O’Neill.

In his submission to Laois County Council, Mr O’Neill stated that the application didn’t differ from a previous plan which had been refused on appeal. He also stated that the new plan only addressed issues in a “minor way” and he quoted a previous An Coimisiún Pleanála(ACP) statement that it: "was not satisfied that any justification had been submitted by the applicant or considered by the Planning Authority for the removal of the long-standing hedgerow which had effectively contributed to the visual amenity of the local area".

Mr O’Neill queried drawings submitted with the plans and he said there appeared to be no intention to restore the hedge to its original height.

“I wish to reiterate the points set out in my letter of objection to application 25/60292 dated 16th July 2025 particularly with regard to the contravention of the Carlow/Graiguecullen Local Area Plan and the effect on my privacy and enjoyment by me and my family of our family home and wish to have these taken into consideration in deciding the current application,” he stated in the submission to Laois County Council.

He said he considered the application to be in “contrary to proper planning” and he asked the council to refuse the plans. Despite the objections, Laois County Council granted planning permission subject to seven conditions on March 20, 2026.

An ACP Inspector said the plan consisted of the removal of existing trees and hedges to a 22.5m portion of the front boundary adjacent to the entrance gate. The trees and hedges which were removed were positioned to the northwest of the existing site entrance and comprised mature leylandii hedging and trees.

The plans sought to replace the foliage with a 2.7m high paladin fence, with safety and opening hours signage along the front boundary fence and entrance gate. It also looked to erect building signage onto existing structures within the site. The proposed building signage comprises seven existing advertising signs.

The planner recommended the application be approved subject to a number of conditions. These included that new hedging at the external side of the new front boundary paladin fence be planted within six months of the date of the order. The new hedging should be of native species only and only allowed to grow to a height of two metres, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the planning authority.

An ACP Planning Commissioner said: Having regard to the nature and scale of the proposed development and the development proposed to be retained, the urban location of the subject appeal site and its 'Enterprise’ zoning objective, it is considered that subject to compliance with the conditions set out below, the proposed development would be in accordance with Development Management Standards”. The retention planning was granted subject to five conditions.