OPW seeks planning permission to develop carpark at Laois heritage site
A planning application has been submitted for proposed alterations to the visitor carpark at Emo Court and Parklands near Portarlington.
The OPW submitted a planning application to Laois County Council to make the existing temporary carpark a permanent feature at Emo Court as well as add some modifications to it.
The existing carpark was only intended for a temporary period of time, having received planning permission in 2021 for a five year period.
This carpark has a gravel surface and provides space for four buses, 12 accessible car parking spaces and 165 regular spaces. It also includes a number of electric vehicle charging points.
This new planning application proposes to further develop this carpark which will remain in the same location north-west of Emo Court House at the entrance to the estate via the L3155 road.
According to the planning documents: “The proposed carpark is in the same location, but includes notable improvements to the layout and finishes of the temporary design, to ensure the carpark complements the setting within the design philosophy of the landscape of Emo Court.”
The proposal retains the current extents of the existing temporary carpark, but with a number of modifications “to provide long term durability and improve the relationship with the historic designed landscape.”
The modifications include the construction of a tarmacadam surface, a permeable grasscrete surface to the car parking bays, more electric vehicle charging points and underground ducting, as well as kerbing, drainage and landscaping works.
Among the changes proposed, there would be a reduction of six parking spaces to allow for the planting of trees. However, the OPW state that this will “effectively integrate the carpark area into the wider parkland context.”
The proposal comes after the completion of a multi-million euro project last May which saw the refurbishment of Emo Court House. The grounds were also upgraded as part of the project, including a new carpark and picnic area.
Emo Court is one of Laois’ most popular heritage sites and with visitor numbers more than doubling last year to 305,539, no doubt aided by the completion of last year’s works.
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