AN existing guesthouse and commercial buildings will be demolished to make way for the development of the first hotel in Sixmilebridge.
An Bord Pleanála has cleared the way for local business people Gerry and Martha Kearney to build the 28-bedroom hotel with three long-stay apartments on a riverside site on Main Street, overlooking the O’Garney River.
The landmark development, which has the potential to generate at least 50 jobs during the construction phase and 20 permanent jobs when up and running, also includes a restaurant, a function room, ancillary accommodation and surface and underground car parking.
The Kearney family have been in business in Sixmilebridge for the past 18 years and the 0.72 hectare site is currently being used for bed and breakfast accommodation, a fuel yard, a bicycle shop and a fishing tackle store.
Ennis-based architectural and environmental consultants Corey Stevens & Associates, who prepared plans for the development, note that Sixmilebridge is a thriving and attractive small town which has a vibrant centre with a number of successful businesses and has recently been boosted by the opening of a new railway station on the Western Rail Corridor.
“No hotel has ever existed in the town; therefore the development will provide much-needed social and accommodation facilities and will bring large numbers of visitors into the town, benefiting the local business community,” a company spokesperson said.
The form believes that the development will significantly enhance the character and vibrancy of Sixmilebridge town centre, bringing important benefits to the community.
“We are delighted that An Board Pleanála has seen fit to approve this scheme and that the Kearney family can now see the hotel become a reality. The success of the planning application is attributable to the vision, patience and positive outlook of the Kearneys throughout the process,” the firm added.