GRANTED: Planning gives green light for badly needed apartments in a large Tipperary town

Permission has been given, subject to conditions, for the construction of eight apartments in the heart of Nenagh.

Local developer Seamus Sheahan has secured approval to remove a warehouse off Kenyon Street at Glebe Lane and replace it with a four-storey residential block.

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The scheme includes four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom units, each with balconies, along with provision for bin and bicycle storage and other supporting works.

As part of the project, two of the apartments are set to be transferred to Tipperary County Council for use as social and affordable housing.

The proposed structure will rise to a similar height as nearby commercial premises on Kenyon Street, but the top floor will be set back behind a parapet to limit its visual prominence. The building will overlook Cecil Walk and the Kenyon Street car park.

In submissions to the council, the developer’s representatives argued that the scheme would inject new life into what they described as an underutilised town centre location.

Planners did raise concerns about the ground-floor frontage along Glebe Lane, noting that the absence of an active streetscape could invite anti-social behaviour.

They suggested the redevelopment offered a chance to improve the laneway and create a more appealing connection between Kenyon Street and the adjacent car park.

The initial application sought permission for ten apartments. However, following requests for additional information, the plans were revised to include three small ground-floor spaces for retail or community use, with the apartments positioned above.

An archaeological assessment accompanied the planning application. It recommended that, once the warehouse is removed, the site should undergo test excavations carried out by a licensed archaeologist.

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