Planning Permission Ireland
RefusedChange of useDecided 15 June 2026

A site at Summerhill Portlaoise Co. Laois (now known as 'Sand Wood')., The site is generally bound to the north by Aghnaharna Drive to the east by Holy Family School Road, and to the west and south by undeveloped lands and a residential development

Amendments to a permitted neighbourhood centre building in Portlaoise, including changes of use and a new mezzanine.

2660260 · Laois County Council · Lodged 6 May 2026

Reference
2660260
Authority
Laois County Council
Register status
Decided
Type
PERMISSION
Received
6 May 2026

Summary

AI-generated

The application proposes amendments to the permitted Neighbourhood Centre building at Sand Wood, Summerhill. It includes changing the permitted creche and cycle store to a retail unit, subdividing a retail unit to create a medical centre, retail unit, refuse store, and ESB switchroom, and adding a 139 sqm mezzanine level for office space.

Change of useretailmedical centreofficemezzanine
Floor area
196 m²

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

Amend permission of the permitted neighbourhood centre building granted under lcc reg. Ref. 23/60348, as amended under lcc reg. Ref. 25/60040, (now known as ‘sand wood’). The site is generally bound to the north by aghnaharna drive, to the east by holy family school road, and to the west and south by undeveloped lands and a residential development currently under construction, granted under lcc reg. Ref. 23/60350 (also known as ‘sand wood’). No amendments are proposed to the permitted 67 no. Residential units. The development will principally consist of: the change of use of the permitted creche and cycle store to a retail unit; the subdivision and part change of use of the permitted retail unit to a medical centre, retail unit, a refuse store and esb switchroom; provision of a mezzanine level (c. 139 sq m) above first floor level within the southern extent of the neighbourhood centre building to provide additional office floor space; rationalisation of the ground and first floor layouts of the neighbourhood centre building and modifications to the footprint of the building, increasing the floor area by c. 57 sq m. The development will result in an overall increase in floor area of the neighbourhood centre building by c. 196 sq m, from 1,426 sq m to c. 1,622 sq m. The development also proposes: the provision of 3 no. Additional car parking spaces; minor cycle & car parking layout changes; landscaping; boundary treatments; and all other associated site works above and below ground.

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Neighbourhood CentreDC
To serve the needs of new/existing residential areas

National zoning type: District, neighbourhood centre

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
AddressDatePriceDistance
3 Bellflower, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATJan 2026€440,5284 m
2 Bellflower, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATJan 2026€440,5288 m
4 Bellflower, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATJan 2026€440,5289 m
5 Bellflower, Sand Wood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATJan 2026€440,52815 m
6 Bellflower, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATFeb 2026€432,49924 m
7 Juniper, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATMar 2026€440,52732 m
7 Bell Heather, Sandwood, Portlaoiseprice excludes VATMar 2026€506,60732 m
11 Juniper, Sandwood, Portlaoisprice excludes VATMar 2026€440,52833 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

  1. Application received6 May 2026
  2. Decision due30 June 2026
  3. Decision issued15 June 2026

In the area

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