Permission granted to turn commercial units in Mayo town into apartments

PLANNING permission has been granted to turn two existing commercial units at the docks area of Belmullet into two apartments.

Mayo County Council granted planning permission to Thomas and Orla Talbot to convert two existing commercial units located at the dock level of Lower Barrack Street in Belmullet into residential apartments. One of the units will contain a one-bedroom 42.7 square metre studio apartment while the neighbouring one will contain a two-bedroom 80.4 square metre apartment.

The building in question which is four storeys in scale consists of the two commercial units on ground floor as well as apartments at first, second and third floor.

An objection to the application was submitted by James Mangan, the owner of the adjoining property over claims that the ownership boundary in the planning application was ‘inaccurate’ and ‘conflicts with the same building's original approved planning application’.

Mr Mangan also objected to the proposed changes to the existing structure within the new development which he claimed would prejudice the ongoing use of a service corridor area between the two buildings.

Mr Talbot later provided maps from the land registry which he claimed outlined that he and his wife were the full owners of the land which was disputed by Mr Mangan.

In response Mr Mangan claimed the folio map does not provide 'any meaningful information' in respect to ownership of the 'service corridor' between the two buildings. He also claimed that his objection was made on the basis that the recent digitisation of the land registry ordnance survey maps has 'altered the boundary between the buildings in error' and the basis of his objection still stands.

The original planning application for the building was made in 2004 by Canal Court Developments Ltd and the property was purchased by the Talbot's in 2021.

Mayo County Council's architects also expressed concern regarding the application as the two units are north facing and changing them to residential would not create suitable living conditions as they would be 'very dark and potentially cold'.

Noelle Angley, the council architect pointed out that the studio bedroom had no natural light or ventilation and the proposed windows to the bedrooms in the two-bed apartment will open to 'a very narrow dark passageway generally used for bin and gas tank storage'.

“Such a design would not be acceptable in a new build situation,” she wrote in her report.

In response to these concerns, Padraic McIntyre of McIntyre Building Services on behalf of Mr Talbot submitted revised plans for the development which included an ancillary area for waste storage and areas for bikes.

He stated that the two units met the design standards of new apartment guidelines and confirmed that the access passage will not be used for bin storage and gas tank storage. He also added that a controlled ventilation system will be installed to serve the proposed development and the windows will not be used for ventilation purposes.

In relation to the claim the units will be cold as they are north facing, Mr McIntyre submitted that his client is proposing to upgrade the building fabric to meet the requirements of Building Regulations and 'therefore the building will not be ‘cold’ as you refer to'.

The apartments, he added, ‘will be afforded a suitable level of heat input (supported with controlled ventilation) to meet the heat space requirements as set out within the Building Regulations’.

In granting planning permission, Mayo County Council planners stated that the further information they requested including the legal interest over the service corridor has been satisfactorily addressed and there was no objection over the proposed change of use.

Planning permission was granted subject to seven conditions.