Planning permission is being sought to demolish a ruined building in Loughrea, in order to make way for a mixed commercial and residential development.
An application has been made to the county council by a B. Shaughnessy to knock the ruined building facing onto Kelly Street, Loughrea.
In its place, the developer seeks approval for a three storey building, with two retail units on the ground floor level of the building.
The two upper floors would contain four one bedroom apartments, divided equally between the two floors.
An inspection report for the building submitted with the planning application notes that the building is in terrible condition, with walls either cracking or partially collapsed.
The roof of the building has long since completely caved in, and the inside of the building is covered in vegetation.
“It is not feasible or structurally safe to renovate this building,” the report by Clarke Construction Design states. “There are some significant structural issues with this building with settlement cracks in the rubble walls.”
“The gable walls have severe subsidence and cracking on it, All doors and windows throughout the dwelling have been removed or rotten away with time”.
“These openings are to be secured/blocked up to prevent public accessing the building as it is a severe public hazard, as the walls are on verge of collapsing as the roof is completely collapsed.”
The National Monuments Service recommended that an Archaeological Impact Assessment should be carried out, as the site is within the footprint of the historic town of Loughrea.
Galway County Council is currently due to make a decision on this planning application by December 13 of this year.
