The Commercial Inn, Church Street, Rathdowney
Change of use from a public house, restaurant, and nightclub to a guest house, with retention of bedroom extensions.
21527 · Laois County Council · Lodged 22 July 2021
- Reference
- 21527
- Authority
- Laois County Council
- Register status
- Invalid or incomplete
- Type
- PERMISSION
- Received
- 22 July 2021
Summary
AI-generatedThe application seeks to retain several unauthorized works at The Commercial Inn, including the removal of a courtyard roof, timber cladding, and 6 bedrooms across the first and second floors. It also seeks permission to change the use of the entire premises to a guest house.
Generated from the description above by an AI model and may contain mistakes. The council’s description is the authoritative record.
Official record
Development description
- Develop as follows
- Retain the removal of the roof structure over the newly built courtyard and walls
- Retain the timber cladding to the rear and surrounding buildings
- Retain the additional floor space, 3 no. Bedrooms at second floor level to the rear of the building
- Retain the additional floor space 3 no. Bedrooms at first floor level to the rear of the building
- Retain the change of use of 2 no. Stores to bedrooms to the rear of the building including first and second floor bedrooms as per 3 and 4 above
- Planning permission for the change of use from public house, restaurant, night club & residential accommodation to guest house at ground floor level including first and second floor bedrooms which are the subject to retention above, including all associated site and ancillary works at this address in accordance with the drawings as submitted
Land-use zoning
What this land is zoned for
“To protect and enhance the special physical and social character of the existing town centre and to provide for and improve retailing and commercial activities.”
National zoning type: City/Town/village Centre, central area
Objective set by the LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027 (2022–2028). The planning authority decides each application on its own merits — this is the zoning context, not a compliance assessment.
Read the zoning objectives in the development planBuilt & sold
What happened next
Beyond the decision: whether this development was built, and what property here has sold for.
Recent sales nearby
within 500 m| Address | Date | Price | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levalley, Rathdowney, Laois | May 2025 | €110,000 | 226 m |
| Mill St, Rathdowney, Laois | Oct 2025 | €105,000 | 236 m |
| Main St, Rathdowney, Laois | Aug 2025 | €250,000 | 248 m |
| Pound St, Rathdowney, Laois | Jan 2025 | €127,000 | 284 m |
| 4 Pound St, Rathdowney, Laois | Jan 2026 | €165,000 | 347 m |
| 5 Pound St, Rathdowney, Co Laois | Mar 2025 | €113,500 | 347 m |
| 28 The Showgrounds, Rathdowney, Laois | Sept 2025 | €215,000 | 452 m |
| 1 Main St, Rathdowney, Laois | Jun 2025 | €220,000 | 452 m |
Nearby properties, not this site — a guide to local values.
Sources: Building Control Management System (commencement notices) and the Residential Property Price Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Records are matched to this application by location and may not be exhaustive; always confirm against the official source before relying on them.
Key dates
Timeline
- Application received22 July 2021
In the area
Applications near this site
Other planning applications within about 500 m — what else is being proposed or built nearby.
- Awaiting decisionAt this site
Planning permission for the following: a. Change of use of existing public house , night-club, first & second…
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney.
19366LaoisLodged 27 Jun 2019Change of use
- Awaiting decisionAt this site
A. change the use of existing public house ,night-club, first & second floor bedroom accommodation to direct…
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney.
19367LaoisLodged 28 Jun 2019Change of use
- Awaiting decisionAt this site
Retention of additional floor space 3 no. bedrooms at first floor level to the rear of the building and a…
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney
21330LaoisLodged 14 May 2021Change of use
- GrantedAt this site
Develop as follows — retain the removal of the roof structure over the newly built courtyard and walls
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney
21673LaoisLodged 28 Sept 2021Change of use
- Granted100 m away
Retain existing veterinary clinic
The Square , Rathdowney , Co.Laois
18770LaoisLodged 19 Dec 2018Retention
- Granted130 m away
Retain 3 Nr. 1 bed apartments, namely apartment Nr.1 to the rear of the ground floor with the sub-division of…
Harrington's , The Square Rathdowney , Co. Laois.
2360161LaoisLodged 5 May 2023Retention
- Granted150 m away
Construct single storey extension to rear of dwelling house and all associated site works
14 Church Street , Rathdowney , Co. Laois
17190LaoisLodged 19 Apr 2017Extension
- Granted190 m away
To erect an 18m monopole telecommunications support structure together with antennas, dishes and associated…
Eir Exchange , (ITM Grid Reference: X628024 Y678487) , Rathdowney Co. Laois.
2560818LaoisLodged 5 Dec 2025Infrastructure
Related developments
Similar applications
Ranked by what these developments actually propose, not by matching words — so you can see how comparable applications were decided.
- GrantedChange of use
Develop as follows — retain the removal of the roof structure over the newly built courtyard and walls
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney
21673LaoisLodged 28 Sept 2021
- Awaiting decisionChange of use
The development consist of — Retention of the following - construction of a store room and 4 new windows to…
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21803MeathLodged 28 Apr 2021
- Awaiting decisionChange of use
Retention of additional floor space 3 no. bedrooms at first floor level to the rear of the building and a…
The Commercial Inn , Church Street , Rathdowney
21330LaoisLodged 14 May 2021
- GrantedChange of use
The development consists of — Retention of the following - construction of a store room and 4 new windows to…
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- RefusedChange of use
Retention of the opening of 4 new windows to the rear and 2 new windows to the side & for raising the parapet…
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LB200922MeathLodged 15 Jul 2020
- Part granted, part refusedCommercial
PERMISSION & RETENTION: The development will consist of — Planning Permission: a) The demolition of (i)…
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