Kilkenny County Council is seeking legal advice over plans to turn a landmark building in the centre of the city into a bookmakers. Seán Keane reports.
The Permanent-TSB office on the corner of High Street and Rose Inn Street facing on to the parade is currently being refurbished by its new owners, Ladbrokes.
The premises was sold at auction last March for €3.35 million, and contains 300 sq metres of office space. The Irish Permanent Building Society got planning permission for the building in the 1980s for office use.
Under new legislation, bookmaking offices (turf accountants) are classed in the same bracket as financial institutions for the purposes of the planning laws.
Ladbrokes has argued that it does not therefore need planning permission for works currently being carried out on the building.
However, Ladbrokes has assured the council that the work on the outside of the premises will be discreet and tasteful and that the Ladbrokes sign will be handpainted.
Local councillor, Mr Michael Lanigan, yesterday said visitors to the city will drive into the middle of medieval Kilkenny and be confronted by the castle on one side and Ladbrokes betting office on the other. Cllr Lanigan has requested that the council speed up its investigation into whether the new owners require planning permission.
In the early 1990s Supermac's fast food restaurant opened on High Street, Kilkenny, directly across the road from City Hall. It did not have to apply for planning permission for a change of use because the building had planning for retail and a restaurant business was classed as retail.
Kilkenny Borough Council has confirmed that it is taking legal advice on the issue. A spokesman said the council was awaiting an opinion from senior counsel on the legitimacy of the work carried out on the building.
Despite repeated requests, Ladbrokes did not offer a spokesperson to comment.