O'Brien Road , Rathnapish , Co. Carlow
A) Construction of a new first floor mezzanine of 58.2 m² within the existing Empower Fitness gym premises. B) Provision of a new internal staircase connecting the ground floor to the mezzanine level. C) Internal alterations including removal of walls, and all associated site works and services. D) Change of opening hours: Monday to Friday from 6 am – 9:30 pm to 6 am – 10 pm; Saturday from 9 am – 6 pm to 8 am – 6 pm; and Sunday from 9 am – 3 pm to 8 am – 5 pm
The application
- Reference
- 2660293 · full record
- Authority
- Carlow County Council
- Type
- PERMISSION
- Status
- INCOMPLETED APPLICATION
- Applicant
- not published by the national dataset — see the council register
- Units
- 0
- Floor area
- —
- Site area
- 2,176 m²
- Received
- 22 Sept 2026
- We first saw it
- 29 Sept 2026, 23:03
- Decision due
- —
- Decision
- N/a
The national dataset truncates descriptions (80 characters for DLR, 70 for Fingal) and omits the applicant. The full description and the drawings are on the council register linked in step 1.
How to submit an observation
- Read the file on the council register.Drawings, planning statement and site notices are at http://www.eplanning.ie/CarlowCC/AppFileRefDetails/2660293/0.
- Write your observation.Quote
2660293at the top, give your name and the address the authority should reply to, and confine it to planning matters — zoning objective, height, overlooking, traffic, drainage, heritage. What you say here is what you can later appeal on. - Pay the €20 fee.Every submission needs it; without it the observation is invalid and is returned. Carlow County Council takes it online with the submission or at the counter.
- Submit before 27 Oct 2026.Online through the register above, or in writing to the Planning Department, Carlow County Council. The test is the date the authority receives it, not the date you post it.
- Keep the acknowledgement.The council's receipt is your proof of a valid observation — see below.
Statutory basis. Section 34(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires a planning authority to consider any submission or observation made to it in accordance with the Regulations. Article 29 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) sets the window: a submission or observation must be received by the authority within five weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application, and must be accompanied by the prescribed fee of €20. A submission received after the window, or without the fee, is invalid and the authority must return it.
What the site is zoned
| Code | Objective | Plan | In force |
|---|---|---|---|
| C2.1 Economic development and employment | Enterprise and Employment: To promote and provide for the development of enterprise and employment generating uses | CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030 | 10 Sept 2024 → 9 Sept 2030 |
| R2 Existing residential | Existing / Infill Residential: To protect and improve existing residential amenity; to provide for appropriate infill residential development; to provide for new and improved ancillary services | CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030 | 10 Sept 2024 → 9 Sept 2030 |
An application that accords with the zoning objective is hard to resist on principle; one that does not may be a material contravention, which the council can only grant by the s.34(6) procedure with its own notice and window.
Sources: CARLOW CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030, CARLOW CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030 · fetched 27 Sept 2026, 19:37
| Source | Licence | Fetched | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARLOW CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030 | — | 27 Sept 2026, 19:37 | open |
| CARLOW CW-002:LAP:carlow-graiguecullen-joint-urban-local-area-plan-2024-2030 | — | 27 Sept 2026, 19:37 | open |
Designations on or near the site
- Radon risk area × 1About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels
Nearby precedents within 500 m, last 5 years
Decisions
| Reference | Decision | Decided | Units | Distance | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2560158 | Refused | 13 Jul 2026 | 0 | 144 m | the construction of a portal frame industrial building, associated parking, internal access road, new splayed entrance from R441 and all associated site development works |
| 2660111 | Conditional | 15 Jun 2026 | 0 | 395 m | a take-away coffee unit, a covered waiting area and all associated site works |
| 2560219 | Conditional | 19 May 2026 | 0 | 427 m | the development will consist of: (i) The construction of a three-storey extension to the north of the existing school building consisting of a two-classroom special education needs unit with ancillary accommodation, classrooms, staffroom, and all associated ancillary accommodation; (ii) Demolition of 3 No. prefabricated buildings and a shed; (iii) Internal alterations to the existing building to create a connection to the proposed extension at ground and first floor level; (iv) Provision of a temporary site entrance along the N80 to facilitate construction access (v) Construction of a new carpark, EV Chargers, set-down areas, external soft play areas, sensory garden, landscaping, boundary treatments, footpaths, paving and all associated site works to complete the development. |
| 2660070 | Conditional | 8 May 2026 | 1 | 498 m | a single storey extension to the rear of existing two storey dwelling, demolition of existing single storey area to the front and construction of a new single storey extension to the front façade, connection to existing on site services and all associated site works |
| 2560423 | Conditional | 19 Feb 2026 | 0 | 435 m | the construction of first floor extension to the rear elevation of my existing dwelling, and all associated site works |
| 2560416 | Conditional | 16 Feb 2026 | 0 | 186 m | Ground Mounted Photovoltaic array covering an area of 2200m2 (0.22 hectares) to be located west of the factory. PV panels are ground mounted on steel frames with associated electrical cabinet / switch room including 4 no. battery storage kiosks and 3 no. invertors and all associated cables / ducting connecting back to the factory and all associated site development works |
| 2560409 | Conditional | 12 Feb 2026 | 0 | 0 m | internal alterations to provide for additional accommodation at ground floor, new 1st floor accommodation, relocated and extended 1st Floor Mezzanine and revised elevation to front |
| 2560282 | Conditional | 7 Nov 2025 | 0 | 186 m | a pedestrian gate to boundary fence at main entrance (Dr Cullen Road Roundabout) and extension of footpath, 2 no. access doors and 2 no. ramps to northern facade of factory, detached storage building (795m2) to the north of the factory with roof solar panels and external battery kiosk / invertor, single storey extension (100m2) to the east of the factory, single storey extension (1902m2) to the south of the factory with roof solar panels and external battery kiosk / invertor, detached storage building (1200m2) to the south of the factory with roof solar panels and external battery kiosk / invertor, refurbishment of existing factory (1001m2) and single storey extension (561m2) to the south, 12 no. cycle parking spaces and 4 no. EV parking spaces to the car park and all associated site development works |
Appeals
| ACP case | Type | Outcome | Decided | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501875 | — | pending | 10 Aug 2026 | 144 m |
| 321968 | — | Other | 18 Feb 2026 | 459 m |
| 322625 | — | Granted with conditions | 20 Aug 2025 | 402 m |
If neighbours here have appealed before and lost, the inspector's report on that case is the single most useful thing to read.
What has happened on this file
- 22 Sept 2026 New application · observations close 27 Oct 2026
- 22 Sept 2026 Decision
Generated from the Planning Register store; nothing was fetched live for this page. Source: national planning dataset, fetched 29 Sept 2026, 23:03. Not legal advice — confirm the deadline with Carlow County Council before relying on it.