Planning application to demolish Mayo derelict house for high-rise 26 apartment block refused
A planning application that would see the demolition of a two-storey home to make way for an apartment block with an attached commercial unit in Castlebar has been refused by Mayo County Council.
The application, submitted by Mr Harold Conway, sought permission to construct a four or five-storey building containing 26 apartments.
The proposed development was planned for Stephen Garvey Way and Mountain View in the centre of the town with 13 one-bedroom and 13 two-bedroom apartments.
The application included eight parking spaces and sought permission for a commercial unit to be used as either a retail shop, café, or deli.
Access to the site was proposed via Stephen Garvey Way for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles, with an additional pedestrian-only entrance from Mountain View.
The plans also included all associated works, such as basement car parking, cycle parking, bin stores, and communal and private amenity and open spaces.
The planning form submitted with the application noted that such a development would deliver €8.5m in construction stage investment and create more than 100 jobs.
Five objections were submitted regarding the application. The primary concerns raised were the insufficient number of parking spaces, the potential increase in traffic, and the impact of a high-rise building on the streetscape.
One submission, submitted by Dr John O’Malley, highlighted that the planning statement indicated the development could house up to 78 people and stated that eight parking spaces would not be sufficient.
He also raised concerns about traffic due to the site’s proximity to Mayo University Hospital, the ATU college entrance, and the two bus stops along Stephen Garvey Way.
Additionally, he noted two "substantial hotels within the immediate vicinity” that could create more traffic congestion. Both the Ellison Hotel and The TF Royal Hotel and Theatre are near the site.
Another objector, Mr Gene McConway, described the proposal as an "overdevelopment" of the site, warning that a four or five-storey building would become “the tallest building in Castlebar.”
He suggested that a more “tamed-down development” with adequate parking would be more appropriate for the location.
Mayo County Council’s planners refused the application on three counts.
Firstly, the height of the apartment block was deemed “visually obtrusive due to excessive size and scale of the proposal relative to the surrounding area.”
The decision noted that the building’s “physical overdominance” would visually alter the urban landscape and undermine the street's character.
Secondly, planners highlighted the site’s location adjacent to the L-1732 road and near the busy R319 junction.
Coupled with the insufficient on-site parking, planners concluded that the application did not demonstrate how the development would avoid disrupting normal traffic flow or creating a hazard for road users.
Finally, planners highlighted the significant shortfall in parking and the absence of a road safety audit. Without the audit, they expressed concern over how the applicant would manage traffic safety and mitigate potential risks to public safety, noting that these concerns remained unresolved in the Roads Section consultation report.
The applicant now has four weeks from the decision date, February 10, 2026, to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.