Castle Durrow is planning an extension to its wedding banquet hall, at the renowned country house hotel.
The hotel and wedding venue submitted a planning application to Laois County Council in the past week.
The application is submitted by Peter Stokes who is seeking permission to build the single-storey extension which involves a flat-roofed, single-storey extension to the east of the main hotel premises.
The extension will include a new kitchen, staff changing area, with disabled accessible WC, band set up area and storeroom, along with all associated site works.
Listed
The property is listed as a protected structure under the current County Development Plan 2011 to 2017.
A decision is due from Laois County Council on September 13 next.
The castle was built in the early 18th century (1712-1715) when domestic architecture in Ireland was developing an independence from the need for defence and economy that had characterised earlier construction.
Instead, houses were built for living in luxury and showing of good taste.
Castle Durrow has had a number of owners, and uses, since Colonel William Flower commenced construction in 1712.
In 1929, the parish of Durrow acquired the estate for the purchase price of £1800 and Castle Durrow was transformed into a school, St. Fintan’s College and Convent.
The Presentation order ran the castle as a closed convent before they opened up the castle as a primary and secondary school which stayed open until 1987.
In the 90’s, Peter and Shelly Stokes purchased Castle Durrow and began the castle’s renovations.
The works took over 3 years to complete.
The renovations were a bigger job than originally anticipated – the roof had to be completely replaced and new wiring and plumbing was put in throughout the whole castle.
The Stokes family manage the daily running of the castle.
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