Roads authority opposes Declan Ganley's pub bid
A millionaire businessman who wants to open a pub and restaurant in North Galway is facing opposition from roads authorities – with a decision on the planning application expected in days.
Businessman Declan Ganley wants to reopen the Derreen Inn, on the main N63 between Abbeyknockmoy and Moylough, but Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) argue that it would affect the operation and safety of the national road network.
This is despite the fact that the pub had previously operated at this location – but TII, in a submission to the planning application, claim the pub would create an adverse impact on the national road where the maximum speed limit applies.
Mr Ganley has applied for planning permission for the partial demolition, extension and refurbishment of the existing Derreen Inn to provide a bar and restaurant along with one commercial unit. A proposed guesthouse has been omitted from the application.
But TII have stated in a submission that there is insufficient information in the planning application to demonstrate that the proposed development will not have a detrimental impact on the capacity, safety or operational efficiency of the national road.
Mr Ganley, the founder and Chairman of the pan-European political party Libertas, acquired the pub last year and intends to develop it as a popular bar and restaurant along the busy North Galway road. A decision on his planning application is imminent.
Consulting engineers on behalf of the applicant have responded by saying that there is an established use of a pub on this site and they did not believe that the intensification of traffic would be significant as a result of this development.
They argue that 80% of trips that will be associated with the bar and restaurant will be generated within the hinterland with 20% of passing traffic accounting for the remaining customer base.
The residential part of the pub will be used by Mr Ganley on rare occasions for guests of the family and that this would not generate any significant additional traffic.
The refurbished pub will accommodate 60 car parking spaces and the engineers say that, as part of their plans, sightlines from the premises will be greatly improved.
A particular feature of the proposed design for the pub is the inclusion of a tower structure to the rear of the premises. This has been inspired by the Yeats tower at Thoor Ballylee and will be sited to the rear of the new extension.
Engineers state: “There is a largely ruined central tower at Knockmoy Abbey, which is also in the Abbeyknockmoy parish, thus providing a precedent and provenance for such a construction”.
They also say that they have eliminated one of the commercial units from the application and the one they are proceeding with will be set back to reduce massing and visual impact.
A further enhancement, they say, involves a locally sourced natural stone finish thereby enhancing the aesthetic nature of the development.