Galway County Council has given the go ahead for a mixed use development in Athenry which includes a new gym, medical centre, and apartments.
Censeo Consulting has been granted planning permission to convert two buildings on North Gate Street Athenry into new commercial units and apartments, as well as a gym and medical centre.
One of the buildings, which is currently a guesthouse, will be renovated to consist of four commercial units at the ground floor level, with three apartments at the first floor.
Other work to be done on this building includes the removal of lean-to roof to make room for balconies on the apartments.
The other building is a former pub, restaurant, and basement nightclub at the east end of the site.
The developer intends to demolish the glazed basement entrance at the north end of the building and convert the nightclub into a gym.
A new medical centre will go in what is currently a ground floor lounge bar in the building.
Another lean-to structure attached to this building will also be demolished, as will an existing single storey structure connecting the two buildings.
A design statement submitted with the application said the layout “has been carefully considered, improving the built environment while maintaining a sensitive approach to the context”.
It also stated that the design of this scheme was chosen to “reuse the existing built environment insofar as possible”, preserving the traditional town streetscape.
No objections were made to the council related to this project, and just one submission was received from the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht.
It noted that the development is within a zone of archaeological potential in the historic town of Athenry, and that given the extent of this development it could “impact on subsurface archaeological remains”.
The department said that all ground works in this project should be monitored by a suitably qualified archaeologist.
Planning permission was granted by the county council with a total of 16 conditions attached.
