Laois restaurant loses An Bord Pleanála appeal to become refugee 'guesthouse'

A closed down Laois restaurant and wine bar in Abbeyleix that was converted without planning permission into a "guesthouse" for refugees has been refused retention permission.

The national planning authority An Bord Pleanála has overturned Laois County Council's approval given in September 2024.

Applicant Icolater Ltd Simon Stokes had initially won permission to retain the changes made to McEvoys, a once popular restaurant and bar on the Main Street in Abbeyleix.

The application asked to "retain change of use from Bar and Restaurant to a Guest House on the ground floor at McEvoys Bar and Restaurant, a protected Structure RPS 069 and NIAH no. 12900714"

It had been leased out for four years, but was shut down suddenly by proprietory Sean McIlroy to the shock of the community in May of 2023.

After it closed, the owner installed seven shared bedrooms in the ground floor 244sqm building, with a total of 21 single beds. There were also three shower rooms, toilet blocks for ladies and gents and a kitchen in the retention plan. 

One of the objectors to the application, Liam O'Faolain, went on to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála. 

He said that describing the accommodation as a guesthouse in the application was "false information". He said that it had no private parking and would add to traffic congestion in the town.

In their refusal judgement, An Bord Pleanála have described the layout as "substandard".

"The layout and design of the guesthouse to be retained would represent a substandard form of development which would impact negatively on the amenities of the occupants and its retention would not be in accordance with section 8.5.2 of the Laois County Development Plan which requires guesthouses to meet Fáilte Ireland Quality Standards and seeks to ensure a high standard of guest accommodation. The development proposed for retention would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".

"The Board noted the applicant’s clarification on 8 July 2024 that the accommodation is intended to accommodate refugees from Ukraine, rather than a guesthouse, but given the contents of the statutory notice and the above substantive nature of the
reason for refusal the Board did not seek further information on this matter".

Laois County Council had originally looked for further information and asked the applicant to show how the accommodation complied with Fáilte Ireland standards.

The applicant's planning representative had explained that as the property would be used for Ukrainian refugee accommodation, it did not need to registered as a guesthouse.

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“Both we ourselves and the applicant contacted Failte Ireland regarding registering it for refugee accommodation, only to be told that the proposed use is not termed a guest house as it would have to be open to the general public to use the term guest house. The accommodation is for guests (being refugees from Ukraine) and as such would not have to register with them.”