Landmark Letterkenny developments gets go-ahead

Donegal County Council has paved the way for a massive development in the heart of Letterkenny.

Conditional planning permission has been granted for the development, which will see the construction of six-story, four-story and two-storey buildings that will include 154 student bedrooms, 13 apartments, a restaurant and a church just off the Station Roundabout.

The ambitious 240,000 square foot development, which will front onto Pearse Road, Port Road and Isle Lane, will include 154 student bedrooms, 13 apartments and a raft of office spaces and retail units. 

Earlier this year, the Council sought further information from developer M&B Kelly Partnership with revised plans since submitted.

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The local authority has been particularly positive towards the development, in its own words: ‘in light of the potential of this site to result in a landmark building within a key location within the town centre, its location opposite the existing bus station, and next to a possible future Transport Hub, alongside its proximity to ATU and overall, to the demand for student housing, private and social housing across Letterkenny.’

The site in question is 0.934 hectares of land, which is bounded by Port Road, Pearse Road, Isle Lane and an existing yard. The land, adjacent to the Station Roundabout, has been zoned for commercial use.

Gleneany House, an existing Baptist Church and other buildings on the site will be demolished to make way for the new development.

William Donogue & Associates Ltd were appointed as designers and they say that the development will be a 'significant economic boost to the town both in the construction phase and when the scheme is operational'.

The site is owned by the Kelly family, the proprietors of Kelly's Toyota.

The planned development includes a six-story building fronting onto the Port Road, with office and retail floor space on the ground floor. Office space would be provided on the first and second floors.

Four two-bed apartments are included on the third floor and also on the fourth floor, which will contain a restaurant and cafe.

A restaurant with an external dining terrace and two two-bed apartments are on the fifth floor

A four-storey building, fronting onto Pearse Road would include a Toyota Mobility Centre and a reception area for the proposed student accommodation. This building would also house 45 student accommodation bedrooms.

A two-storey church, fronting onto Pearse Road, is also proposed, while a four-storey accommodation block would house 99 student accommodation bedrooms.

A second four-story building, fronting onto Isle Lane, consists of a 190 square metre floor area across two retail units; one two-bed and one one-bed apartment on the first floor; and teen student accommodation bedrooms on the top two floors.

The complex would include a public courtyard plaza, at the centre of which the developers plan to locate a coffee pod.