Cork County Council was responding to the application in October relating to the building at East Douglas Street once home to a permanent TSB branch, and more recently in temporary use by Bank of Ireland.

JD Wetherspoon plc applied to change its use to a licensed premises, to provide bar, food server and other facilities in a 175-square metre infill at ground floor level of an existing vehicular access route to the site. A first-floor kitchen, and ground floor customer toilets and staff room are also proposed, along with a beer garden to the rear of the premises. The case was due for decision by end of 2014, but the further information request was made days before Christmas.

Boston Scientific extension

An application was lodged during Christmas week for an extension to the Boston Scientific medical devices plant in a southside Cork suburb. The Bishopstown facility, at the Cork Business and Technical Park on Model Farm Road, is proposed to be extended by 259 square metres. Boston Scientific Cork Ltd wants to build the two-storey addition to the north elevation, with a decision expected before the end of February.

Killarney sports centre

An Bord Pleanála has given its approval to a planned sports and adventure centre for special athletes in Killarney. National Sports and Adventure Centre Ltd submitted the proposal 10 months ago to Kerry County Council for a site off the N22 Tralee road at Derreen. The plans include an indoor sports arena, gym, physiotherapy and first-aid rooms, changing rooms and a performance area, as part of facilities to be home to the Kerry Stars Special Olympics Club.

Also among the details are an adapted bowling alley, social hub and café, offices, board room, counselling room, speech and language therapy room, sensory room, and sensory garden.

The application also included a seven-a-side indoor pitch and an adventure course. An appeal to the board was received last August in relation to the council’s approval, but final permission is now granted subject to 13 conditions.

Naas housing goes ahead

A 60-house development in Naas received planning permission from the appeals board on New Year’s Eve. The application was initially lodged with Naas Town Council in 2013 and granted planning in permission at local authority level at the end of that year. The proposal from Le Monde Holdings Ltd was to build 48 semi-detached and 12 detached homes at a 12-acre site on the west of the Co Kildare town, bounded by the Grand Canal. As well as two third-party appeals, An Bord Pleanála also considered appeals by the applicant relating to six of the 59 conditions attached to the council’s permission. The board has given the go-ahead and includes a condition that the first phase is to include construction of 11 houses but also the completion of roads and a linear park.

Blackpool gets gaming centre

Permission has been granted for the development of an internet cafe at a former pub in Blackpool village on the northside of Cork city.

Last July, South Coast Development Solutions Company Ltd received city council approval for the works at the disused Watercourse Inn premises, near the T&A builder providers’ yard and Revenue Commissioners’ offices, but a third party appeal was referred to An Bord Pleanála.

The company had applied in April 2014 to change the vacant ground floor to an internet cafe with gaming machines to the rear, and to change the disused overhead dwelling to two apartments, one each on the first and second floors.

Although the council and the planning inspector were satisfied to include a condition limiting gaming to ancillary use, the board decided not to permit any gaming use. Instead, it said, the ground floor premises is to be used as an internet cafe only, and it agreed with its inspector that operating hours should be until 11pm, an hour earlier than allowed in the council’s permission last summer.