Popular Tipperary Airbnb property has retention application approved
Planning permission has been granted to retain a short-term accommodation offering in a busy Tipperary tourist town.
John Joe Morrissey applied to Tipperary County Council seeking retention planning permission for a change of use of part of a property on Canopy Street in Cashel from residential to Airbnb accommodation.
Retention planning permission is required when works have already been carried out without prior planning approval.
The one-bedroom short-term let accommodation consists of the first floor of the property, while the ground floor operates as an office for a local chartered accountant.
According to a planner from the county council, the property sits in the town centre as defined by the local area plan, and as such, the use of a property as a bed and breakfast (B&B), guesthouse or hotel is permitted.
“I am satisfied that the use of the first-floor residential unit for short-term letting can be considered subject to normal planning considerations,” the planner said in their report.
“I do not consider the one-bedroom short-term letting use will give rise to negative impacts on the residential amenities of the adjoining dwellings,” they added.
Car parking already exists to the rear of the property, the planning report states, with the accommodation not creating any extra demand for car parking spaces, according to the council planner.
Retention planning permission was granted, subject to three conditions.
Among the conditions imposed by the county council are that the first floor of the property will only be used as short-term letting accommodation, and not used for long-term occupancy.
Another condition states that all surface water from the development will be collected and disposed of within the confines of the property, and will not discharge onto the public road or onto adjoining properties.
Planning permission to change the use of residential property into a short-term holiday let is required under laws to clamp down on the number of properties being used as Airbnbs, in an attempt to bring more homes back into the private rental market.
A search of Airbnb shows that the property has been offered for letting for just under a year, for an average of €185 per night.
The property has several five-star reviews, being ranked as a ‘guest favourite’ by Airbnb. Guests say that the apartment is spacious, well equipped and is a short distance to the Rock of Cashel and local bars and restaurants.