Retention plan for Ashley Park House
Planning permission for retention and new development is being sought for popular wedding venue Ashley Park House near Ardcroney.
Ashley Park House Ltd is seeking permission from Tipperary Co Council to retain the marquee structure used for events/functions/weddings, including entrance, main event space/hall, kitchen and serving areas, toilets and associated storage.
Also to be retained is the change of use from agricultural storage to overnight guest accommodation with storage/workshop areas of four outbuildings and associated internal conversion works and external elevation and roof works. This comprises a total of 35 guest bedrooms with en-suite facilities.
Retention is furthermore sought for the change of use from boathouse to civil ceremony room, as well as hard and soft landscaping, internal roads and pedestrian walkways, vehicle circulation and parking areas, services and site development works.
The development for which permission is sought consists of wastewater treatment works, revision and enhancement of the existing primary site entrance from the L1103 local road, construction of two new vehicle passing bays along this primary access road, and all other ancillary and associated site development works.
The application is accompanied by several reports, including a noise emission technical note prepared by CLV Consulting in Cork, which concludes that “none of these planning permission/retention elements are expected to contain or produce any significant additional noise emissions”.
In their cover letter to the council, Ashley Park agents the Planning Partnership stated that a noise emission measurement assessment was undertaken in 2019 after upgrading works were carried out on the marquee roof.
“During both the live band performance and periods of DJ music, no significant degree of music noise was audible above the background noise level,” the Cork-based agents stated. “Even during periods of low traffic activity and in calm wind conditions, music noise emissions could not be clearly discerned at the survey measurement location.”
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT
With its attractive surrounds on 76 acres of woodland and walled gardens overlooking Lough Ourna, eighteenth century Ashley Park House has in latter years become one of north Tipperary's most popular wedding venues.
In the application made earlier this month, the council was informed by the agents that “Ashley Park House provides for events/functions/weddings and associated overnight tourism accommodation to local, national and international visitors, helping to generate and promote tourism in the area.
“It is a clear objective of Tipperary County Council as planning authority to support enterprises alternative to farming, encourage and support tourism development and ensuring the conservation and protection of the county’s built heritage.
“The activities associated with Ashley Park House [are] instrumental in the provision of employment for 35 full time staff, 40 part time staff and 20 seasonal staff, and is a key example of a small-scale rural enterprise that does not have an adverse impact on the residential, environmental, and rural amenity of the area.
“The development to be retained and proposed does not detract from the rural setting or the landscape around Ashley Park House. The converted overnight guest accommodation is located within the built footprint and form of existing outbuildings, sensitively refurbished to provide for the additional accommodation to Ashley Park House while maintaining the character of the courtyard and buildings.”
The Planning Partnership concludes that “the site does not negatively impact on its receiving environment visually, amenity, or from services provision”.
The council is to make a decision on the application by September 5.