Permission refused for demolition of former takeaway in Clare coastal town

Planning permission has been refused for the proposed demolition of a former fast food restaurant in the coastal town in Kilkee.

The decision of the local authority to refuse the application to construct a house and two apartments at the site of the former Barry's Takeaway has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála.

In a report, published just before Christmas, planning inspector Claire McVeigh stated that the proposed development "would not contribute positively" to the Kilkee Architectural Conservation Area.

The former takeaway has not been in use for some time and the applicant had submitted that the proposed development "is in keeping" with current developments in its immediate and wider vicinity.

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The applicant had sought permission to demolish the building which is located next to the former AIB bank at O'Curry Street in the town. The former bank, which is currently being used for residential purposes, is a Protected Structure and has significant historical significance.

"The visual diversity of the façade adds to the streetscape and is of merit and, furthermore, I consider its subservient scale flanking the protected structure, as mirrored by the single storey to the north of the former bank building, contributes significantly to the prominence and special character of this protected structure," wrote Ms McVeigh.

"The proposed scheme to demolish the existing building and replace with two buildings with a ridge height exceeding 10 metres, more than 3 metres above the existing ridge line projecting out beyond the neighbouring property, will result an imbalance in the scale of buildings flanking the protected structure and will result in a large principally blank side gable wall which will result in a visually overbearing impact on the existing residential property south of the subject site," she added.

Recommending that permission be refused she further stated: "By reason of its scale, height, massing and design, (it) would be out of scale with its surroundings, would seriously detract from the architectural character and setting of the former Allied Irish Bank protected structure and of the streetscape generally."