Popular Donegal business set for major expansion
Ground-floor café expansion and new office space approved for family-run Greencastle business
Planning permission has been granted for a new two-storey extension at the long-established McLaughlin’s Shop and Café in Greencastle.
The application, submitted by Bernadette McLaughlin of Sea Ray Limited, sought permission for the construction of an east-facing side extension to the popular village business.
The development will provide additional café seating at ground-floor level, increasing capacity for customers, while the first floor will provide ancillary office space to support the continued operation of the existing shop.
The latest proposal follows the granting of retention permission earlier this year for an extension providing additional cold-room storage, kitchen space and other facilities required for the day-to-day running of the business.
McLaughlin's has been a fixture in the Greencastle community since 1977, operating as a family-run village shop serving the community. In 2015, the business expanded with the opening of its coffee shop, which has since become a popular destination for locals and visitors to the Inishowen peninsula.
Donegal County Council granted permission subject to five conditions. Among the conditions attached is a requirement that all external lighting is hooded and positioned to prevent light spilling onto neighbouring residential properties. The council also stated that no signs, symbols or other forms of advertising can be erected on the site without prior written agreement from the planning authority.
The applicant, Bernadette McLaughlin, must also ensure that surface water from the site does not discharge onto the public road, and that measures are in place to prevent water from the public road entering the site. The council said this condition is necessary to prevent flooding.
A further condition from the planning authority requires the retention of all sound trees, shrubs and hedgerows on the site, with any trees or shrubs that subsequently die to be replaced. This condition is intended to preserve the area's amenities.
As part of the planning approval, McLaughlin’s Shop and Café must also make a contribution of €664 to Donegal County Council towards public infrastructure and facilities.