‘Massive levy’ to be issued for unauthorised works on rural Wexford pub — ’ they’ve knocked things, built things, it’s like the Wild West’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The owners of a pub in rural Co Wexford can expect to be hit with a “massive levy” if and when they apply for planning retention for unauthorised works carried out at the premises.

The activities at Cooper’s Inn in Killinick have been a continual source of contention for those in Wexford County Council (WCC) with local councillors claiming works are being carried out without valid planning permission. A septic tank has been installed at the premises and a commercial space has been converted for residential use.

As someone who lives nearby, Councillor Frank Staples said there “are lights on in there until late into the night” as he asked for an update on two enforcement cases at the monthly meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District.

“They did apply for planning permission but it was considered invalid because of the site notice, so a new application has been submitted for planning retention.,” explained planning officer Sonia Hunt.

Planning retention is a legal mechanism to obtain retrospective permission for structures or changes of use built without initial approval.

In March of this year WCC confirmed that there were two active planning enforcement proceedings against the proprietors of Cooper’s Inn, however, in the interim, Cllr Ger Carthy said any application for retention should be met with a sizeable bill.

“These boys have done a lot of work down there without planning permission, they’ve done their own thing, put in the treatment plant with no recourse to the environmental impact of that, they’ve knocked things, built things, it’s like the Wild West,” he said.

“They are not compliant with planning so they need to come in and apply for retention and a nice bill is going to be delivered - can you give me the confidence that will happen?”

At this juncture, director of services Lynda Lacey stepped in and said that, if the application was for retention of whatever works had been carried out to date, then the cost would be three times the normal amount charged for a planning application.