In accordance with Part XI, Section 179 of the Planning and development Act, 2000 as amended and part VII, article 80 and 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 as amended Laois County Council hereby gives notice of proposals pertaining to development as follows:
Construction of new County Library building incorporating a Local Studies Centre, Community and Events spaces.
The proposed new library building is to be located on Unit 52 and 53 Main Street, Portlaoise which is within the Portlaoise Architectural Conservation Area. The Library Project will involve the full demolition of the existing buildings (Shaws) and the construction of a new purpose built library building.
The new Part 3 storey / Part 2 storey building will provide library space of 1,500 square metres approximately, comprising of a ground floor space of 800 square metres and upper floors space of 700 square metres. Additional space from the rear will be incorporated for library events and exhibitions, including a reading garden which will facilitate exhibitions and cultural festivals.
Plans and particulars of the proposals are available for inspection from Thursday 11th May, 2017 up to and including Thursday 22rd June, 2017 at the Planning Department, Laois County Council, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, between the hours of 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays and also Portlaoise Public Library between the hours 10am to 5pm Tuesday and Friday, 10am to 7.30pm on Wednesday and Thursday and 10am to 4pm on Saturday.
Submissions or observations with respect to the proposals and dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, may be made in writing to the undersigned before 5pm on Friday 7th July , 2017. Submissions should be clearly marked “Portlaoise Library Project”.
The Council is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. If you consider that any of the information supplied by you is either commercially sensitive or confidential in nature this should be highlighted and the reasons for its sensitivity specified. In such cases the relevant material will in response to FOI requests be examined in light of exemptions provided for in the FOI Act.