Permission has been granted to convert the former O’Sullivan’s/John Jose Bar in Ballyhooly into a ground-floor retail unit and five apartments, subject to a number of conditions, including that the owners meet with the council’s conservation officer to discuss an appropriate shopfront design.
The planning was granted on Friday last week, having been originally sought in July 2023. A previous application from the same developer for five apartments, but no retail unit, was withdrawn in July 2022, eight months after it was submitted.
Planning was previously granted to develop the building to a different developer in 2008, this time to convert the building into a café, hairdressers and office space.
One objection was made against the present plans by a member of the public, who cited concerns about parking, and questioned the need for more residential properties in the village, with permission granted for 39 homes in Lios Ard relatively recently.
CONSERVATION
Conservation officer with the council, Elena Turk had initially expressed some concern with the plans, particularly with regard to the shopfront and the window finishes, along with alterations to the interior of the building. However, further information submitted by the developers allayed these concerns, but a meeting with the conservation officer is still a requirement of the planning which is now granted.
