Observation pack · Offaly County Council

On Bord na Móna lands within the townlands of , Clonmacnoise Tullaghbeg Clonfinlough and Clonascra , Co. Offaly

a recreational shared cycle and walkway located on Bord na Móna lands within the townlands of Clonmacnoise, Tullaghbeg, Clonfinlough and Clonascra in County Offaly. The shared cycle and walkway proposes to connect into the permitted Midlands Trail Network in Offaly (Pl Ref 25/60014). The development proposes the following; a) The delivery of approximately 5 kilometres of shared cycle and walkway on Bord na Móna lands. This will include the repurposing of 1,419 metres of existing former rail bed, 1,522 meters along existing bog headlands, and 2,058 meters along an elevated timber boardwalk. b) The construction of 1 no. Type 4 Gateway including bicycle parking and seating. c) Upgrade works to 2 no. local access road crossings, 2 no. agricultural / access crossings, and 1 no. underpass. d) The provision of an integrated viewing point located at the Mongan Bog section of the route. e) The erection of wayfinding and interpretative signage along the route. f) Fencing and screening will be erected where required for health and safety and biodiversity reasons which will include approximately 2,411 meters of ecological screening and 500 meters of health and safety fencing. g) All other ancillary and associated site work. This Planning Application is accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement (NIS)

Observations close 16 Oct 2026 window closed

5 weeks from receipt (received 11 Sept 2026) · s.34 Planning and Development Act 2000 · art. 29 Regulations 2001 · fee €20 · council decision due 5 Nov 2026

The five-week window has passed. Late observations are returned unread. If the council has decided, the next door is the appeal window — but under s.37 only the applicant and those who made a valid observation may appeal.

The application

Reference: 2660489 · full record
Authority: Offaly County Council
Type: PERMISSION
Status: NEW APPLICATION
Applicant: not published by the national dataset — see the council register
Units: 0
Floor area: —
Site area: 6.35 ha
Received: 11 Sept 2026
We first saw it: 29 Sept 2026, 23:03
Decision due: 5 Nov 2026
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/OffalyCC/AppFileRefDetails/2660489/0.
Write your observation.Quote 2660489 at 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. Offaly County Council takes it online with the submission or at the counter.
Submit before 16 Oct 2026.Online through the register above, or in writing to the Planning Department, Offaly 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.

After you submit: keep the acknowledgement. Under the 2024 Act it secures your right to appeal — only the applicant and a person who made a valid observation may bring the council's decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála, within four weeks of the decision. Making a valid observation is also what buys a right of appeal: under s.37(1) of the 2000 Act, only the applicant and a person who made a valid submission or observation to the planning authority may appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála (within four weeks of the decision). Missing the five-week window closes both doors.

What the site is zoned

No current zoning polygon covers this site in the store.

Designations on or near the site

Recorded monument × 1
Linear earthwork

Nearby precedents within 500 m, last 5 years

Decisions

Reference	Decision	Decided	Units	Distance	Description
2560014	Conditional	7 Aug 2025	0	357 m	the development of a recreational shared cycle and walkway located on Bord Na Móna lands within the townlands of Cloncraff or Bloomhill, Clonascra, Ballyduff, Clonaderg, Doon Demesne, Lackagh Beg, Lackagh More, Cormore and Corbeg, Corbane, Ballydaly, Kilcolgan Beg, Turraun, Leabeg, Leamore, Oughter, Derrymore, Bunakeeran, Lumcloon and Broughal in County Offaly. The development proposes the following; a) The delivery of a shared cycle and walkway on Bord na Móna lands. This will include the repurposing of 16,919 meters of existing former rail bed and 8,960 meters along existing bog headlands / former high fields. b) The proposed shared cycle and walkway will connect into the existing Grand Canal Greenway, The Offaly Way, and the Lough Boora Discovery Park. c) The construction of car and / or bicycle parking facilities at a number of gateway locations along the proposed route and the provision of EV Charging spaces at the Gateway locations. This will include; i. 5 no. Type 2 Gateways (including 2 no. upgrades to existing parking and 3 no. proposed parking facilities) ii. 6 no. Type 3 Gateways iii. 1 no. Type 4 Gateways iv. 2 no. Major Rest Points v. 2 no. Minor Rest Points d) Upgrade works to Brosna Bridge (Ref 15-100). e) The construction of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge spanning the Grand Canal within the Turraun townland. f) Upgrade works to 10 no. local access road crossings, and 8 no. agricultural crossings. g) The erection of wayfinding and interpretative signage at Gateway locations along the route. h) The implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) nature-based drainage proposals at the Gateway locations to cater for surface water drainage at car park locations. i) Fencing and screening will be erected where required for health and safety and biodiversity reasons which will include 14,909 meters of ecological screening. j) All other ancillary and associated site work. This Planning Application is accompanied by a Natura Impact Statement (NIS)
22649	Conditional	31 Jul 2023	3	208 m	EXTENSION AND ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING DWELLING TO INCLUDE BASEMENT STORE, GROUND FLOOR EXTENSIONS AND ALTERATIONS AND ATTIC CONVERSION, CONVERSION OF ORIGINAL EXTERNAL UTILITY AND STORE TO GRANNY FLAT FOR THEIR OWN FAMILY USE, SEPARATE SINGLE STOREY GARAGE AND SINGLE STOREY WORKSHOP BUILDINGS

Appeals

ACP case	Type	Outcome	Decided	Distance
324006	—	Other	2 Oct 2026	0 m
313668	—	Withdrawn	15 Jan 2024	0 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

11 Sept 2026 New application · observations close 16 Oct 2026
11 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 Offaly County Council before relying on it.