PLANNING permission has been sought to retain and complete the change of use of part of a North Clare hotel into 10 apartments.
The application relates to the Burren Atlantic Hotel in Ballyvaughan, where retention permission is being sought for works carried out to change the use of a wellness centre to 10 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
The application was submitted to Clare County Council by Amber Creek Limited.
The proposal also seeks permission to retain the hotel and proposed apartments within revised site boundaries, as well as permission to complete the 10-apartment development and associated site development works.
In a letter submitted with the application, the applicant’s consulting engineer said the proposal had been revised from a previously proposed hostel use after it was established that no planning permission existed for that use.
The Burren Atlantic Hotel will remain in operation as part of the proposal.
The 10 apartments would comprise a mix of studio and one-bedroom units, ranging in size from 39.15 square metres to 75.91 square metres.
The planning documentation states that 13 car parking spaces are required for the proposed apartments.
A total of 76 car parking spaces will be available adjacent to the proposed development, while 14 bicycle spaces and four electric vehicle charging points will also be provided.
A further 42 car parking spaces are available to serve the holiday houses, according to the submitted documentation.
The applicant said no external works are required to complete the development, with all remaining works confined to internal works.
The application was lodged with Clare County Council on July 28, 2026.
The public consultation period closes on August 31, with seven submissions received on the application.
Submissions primarily raised concerns about the proposed use of the apartments, questioning whether they could be changed to residential use rather than remaining for tourism, and whether the accommodation would operate on a short-term or long-term basis.
Concerns were also raised about parking, with the boundary of the parking area running adjacent to the rear of a number of local houses. Submissions said increased parking could lead to additional noise pollution for nearby residents.
One submission raised concern that, if approved, the development could pave the way “for developers to bypass strict rural housing boundaries by using a commercial footprint as a back door that could undermine the planning system in a time when ordinary people are struggling to get planning permission in rural areas.”
A decision is due from Clare County Council on September 21.
-Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
