Forty jobs are set to be created in Bunratty, with the opening of a new café and restaurant at the former Avoca site.
An Bord Pleanala has cleared the way for Zest to open a new outlet at the premises which hasn’t been in use since the building was gutted by fire in 2007.
Zest acquired the old Avoca site at Bunratty in 2011, and last December was granted conditional permission by Clare County Council to demolish the existing structure, and build a new 680 square metre facility comprising of a restaurant, café, food hall and kitchen, as well as associated works.
The local authority’s decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanala by Maurice Walsh of Durty Nellys, who claimed it would ‘severely detract from the setting and character of Bunratty’.
This appeal has now been rejected by the planning appeals authority, who have given the project the go-ahead.
15 conditions have been attached to the development, including that a bat survey of the site be carried out, changes to proposed signage, as well as other measures in the interest of visual amenity, traffic safety and local wildlife.
A spokesman for EFG Inflight Limited, parent company of Zest, has told Clare FM that they welcome the decision, and are hoping that construction on will begin early next year.
