GrantedInfrastructureDecided 29 January 2026

The Downes, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

Construction of a new 1,000-pupil secondary school with sports facilities and access roads.

2560303 · Laois County Council · Lodged 20 May 2025

Reference: 2560303
Authority: Laois County Council
Register status: Decided
Type: PERMISSION
Received: 20 May 2025

Summary

AI-generated

Permission is sought for a two-storey and part three-storey secondary school. The development includes a hockey pitch with floodlights, ball courts, two new site entrances, and car and bus parking areas.

Infrastructureschooleducationsports pitch

Storeys: 3

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

Construct two storey and part three storey 1000 pupil secondary school to include general classrooms, specialist classrooms, a general-purpose hall, pe hall, offices, staff room, library, sanitary facilities and ancillary spaces. The development also includes the provision of
New site entrance from o’dowling roundabout on the portlaoise south orbital route – r94 - leading to new car and bus set down/ drop off area with 49 no. Carparking spaces and with pedestrian & cycle route to the proposed school
New site entrance from the adjoining timahoe / well road (r426), access road with cycle and foot paths, bicycle spaces and 92 no. Car parking space
Provision of new footpath on the timahoe / well road (r426), connecting to the existing
Proposed new hockey pitch with associated fencing, shelter dugouts and 8 no. Flood lighting standards
6 no. Ball courts, landscaped gardens and external social space
Provision of a heat pump and gas storage areas, external stores and bin storage area
Provision for all landscaping, boundary treatments, associated drainage, attenuation and other site services with all related site development and ancillary works
A natura impact statement (nis) will be submitted to the planning authority with the application and the nis will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy during office hours at the office of the relevant planning authority

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Open Space and AmenityOS

“To preserve, provide for and improve active and passive recreational public and private open space.”

National zoning type: Active open space

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 plan

Built & 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

Residential Property Price Register sales within 500 metres of this site
Address	Date	Price	Distance
11 Bramble Wood, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Oct 2025	€422,907	436 m
12 Bramble Wood, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Nov 2025	€422,907	440 m
7 Bramble Wood, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Dec 2025	€440,527	447 m
15 Bramble Wood, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Nov 2025	€490,000	458 m
1 Stonecrop, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Oct 2025	€436,123	465 m
1 Juniper, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	Apr 2026	€440,528	466 m
2 Juniper, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VAT	May 2026	€499,999	467 m
2 Stonecrop, Sandwood, Portlaoisprice excludes VAT	Oct 2025	€419,097	471 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 received20 May 2025
Further information requested14 July 2025
Further information received27 November 2025
Decision due30 January 2026
Decision issued29 January 2026
Grant issued4 March 2026
Permission expiry3 March 2031

In the area

Applications near this site

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Related developments

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