Tipperary Casino Given Go-Ahead By An Bord Pleanála

Model of proposed Two-Mile-Borris Casino

An Bord Pleanála, went against the advice of it’s own planning inspectorate today, and has given the go-ahead for a Casino, an eight storey 500 bedroom hotel and an indoor racetrack complex / golf facility at Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles, here in Co Tipperary. However, the board refused permission for a proposed 15,000 seater music venue on the site.

A number of local people together with An Taisce had strongly opposed the plan, with An Taisce stating its scale and size would have significant environmental and economic consequences for the local area and would cannibalise local businesses and already established racing and golf venues in Munster.

See Planning Application Here – Planning Appeal Here.  See Planning Inspectors Report Here.

Note, that while a An Bord Pleanála Inspector appears to recommend refusal, the project has now been given the go ahead, supported by a number of major horse breeders in the Munster region.

So far the only mention of financial backers for this project are ‘a foreign consortium.’

The site, which has a stated area of circa 330 hectares, is within the townlands of Noard, Newhill, Leigh and Borris c. 11km to the east of Thurles town centre, 1.8km to the south-east of Twomileborris and c.4km to the north-east of Littleton. The site is bounded by the M8 to the north, the N75 to the north-east, agricultural and Coillte Forestry lands to the east, Bord na Mona bog lands to the south and agricultural lands to the west. Of the 330 hectares approx. 110 hectares comprises of agricultural land with the remainder (c.220 hectares) under commercial forestry.

Horseracing Ireland, Bord na gCon, Horse Sport Ireland, Shannon Development and the Thurles Chamber of Commerce are among the bodies who made submissions in favour of the project.

The promoter behind the Tipperary Venue, Richard Quirke of Dr Quirkey’s Emporium on Dublin’s O’Connell Street, had already stated that the project would not go ahead if the proposed Casino element was not allowed. Mr Quirke also stated that about 1,000 jobs will be created during construction, and 1,350 full-time jobs when project is completed.

This would appear to be the first time, in the history of the Irish State, that major planning permission has been granted for a project, for which overdue national legislation has not been publically discussed or approved by Government.