Observation pack · Westmeath County Council

30 St Francis Terrace , Athlone , Co Westmeath

retention permission for a single storey flat roof extension to an existing dwelling including the conversion of existing outbuildings into habitable accommodation, and all ancillary works

Observations close 29 Sept 2026 2 days left

5 weeks from receipt (received 25 Aug 2026) · s.34 Planning and Development Act 2000 · art. 29 Regulations 2001 · fee €20 · council decision due 19 Oct 2026

The application

Reference: 2660446 · full record
Authority: Westmeath County Council
Type: RETENTION
Status: NEW APPLICATION
Applicant: not published by the national dataset — see the council register
Units: 0
Floor area: —
Site area: 161 m²
Received: 25 Aug 2026
We first saw it: 18 Sept 2026, 15:44
Decision due: 19 Oct 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/WestmeathCC/AppFileRefDetails/2660446/0.
Write your observation.Quote 2660446 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. Westmeath County Council takes it online with the submission or at the counter.
Submit before 29 Sept 2026.Online through the register above, or in writing to the Planning Department, Westmeath 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

Nothing designated within 100 m of the site.

Nearby precedents within 500 m, last 5 years

Decisions

Reference	Decision	Decided	Units	Distance	Description
2660354	Refused	19 Aug 2026	0	382 m	change of use of existing public licensed bar at ground floor level to Restaurant/Take Away. Permission is also south for external signage to existing shop front
2660297	Conditional	28 Jul 2026	0	387 m	the refurbishment and change of use of an existing 2 storey mixed use commercial and residential property into a new café/restaurant over two floors. Works to include the construction of a new single-storey extension to the rear; all associated internal and external alterations to provide new servery, seating areas, kitchen, toilets, associated ancillary accommodation, and new shopfront to the front façade; external landscaping; and all ancillary site development works
2660213	Conditional	22 Jun 2026	1	60 m	A) the construction of a new pitched roof over an existing single storey side annex with the removal of an existing flat roof; B) the reconfiguration of internal accommodation; C) the construction of a new front porch with the demolition of an existing open porch; D) the placement of external wall insulation on perimeter walls; E) the widening of an existing road entrance and construction of associated driveway; and F) all ancillary site works
2660129	Conditional	12 May 2026	1	472 m	construction of a semi-detached shed (to the existing shed) at rear of dwelling, dropped kerb and dished footpath at the front of the entrance and all ancillary site works. RETENTION permission is sought for the front porch, material alterations to the front facade of the dwelling, hard surfacing of front garden area and its use as vehicular parking, widening of the entrance by alteration to the front boundary wall, security cameras to front and rear of dwelling and all ancillary site works
2560298	Conditional	29 Apr 2026	0	309 m	Retention permission and planning permission for development. The retention permission consists of first floor rear extension, change of use of first and second floor office/store (commercial use) into two, 1-bed apartments (residential use), internal layout alterations, material alterations, changes to front elevation and existing velux roof window. The planning permission consists of replacement of the external ground floor entrance door and frame from PVC to timber and all ancillary works. Development relates to the Protected Structure RPS No.168, NIAH No. 15009223.
2660020	Conditional	20 Mar 2026	1	490 m	alterations with extensions of an existing 2 storey private dwelling to include the conversion of an existing adjoining garage into habitable space, for the construction of a first floor extension to the side and a single storey extension to the rear, for all associated internal and external alterations, for the widening of the existing vehicular entrance, and for all associated site development works
2560586	Conditional	3 Mar 2026	0	352 m	the change of use of unit 42, existing retail butcher to food & beverages and licensed restaurant with a total gross floor area of 108m2. Permission is also sought for associated changes to the external shop front elevation, signage and all associated site development works
2560094	Conditional	25 Nov 2025	0	373 m	development which will consist of Planning Permission for (i) New roof mounted automatic opening vent over stairwell. (ii) New internal fire protected escape lobby with minor alterations to fire escape door at basement level. Retention Planning Permission for (iii) Change of use of the existing financial service building (formerly Ulster Bank) to a retail pharmacy at ground floor level (234 sq. m) and doctor’s clinic at first floor level (234 sq. m). (iv) Revised retail signage to the ground floor front elevation consisting of high-level surface mounted signage. (v) New pharmacy shopfront to the ground floor front elevation consisting of a glazed facade including entrance door and removal of ATM and wall section

Appeals

ACP case	Type	Outcome	Decided	Distance
322958	—	Granted with conditions	29 Jun 2026	28 m
500372	—	Granted	20 May 2026	427 m
316644	—	Other	10 Aug 2023	360 m
311306	—	Granted with conditions	29 Apr 2022	398 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

25 Aug 2026 New application · observations close 29 Sept 2026
25 Aug 2026 Decision

Generated from the Planning Register store; nothing was fetched live for this page. Source: national planning dataset, fetched 18 Sept 2026, 15:44. Not legal advice — confirm the deadline with Westmeath County Council before relying on it.