Hotel plans delayed by presence of bats

Plans to develop a South East Galway hotel, destroyed by fire in 2011, are being delayed as planners are requesting a bat survey.

And that has diluted expectations that the redevelopment of the Shannon Oaks Hotel in Portumna would commence this autumn.

The property is owned by the billionaire Comer Brothers who have committed to reconstructing the hotel and have submitted a planning application to this effect.

But the development is now the subject of a request regarding the presence of bats.

It has been suggested that there is a significant bat population in the area and who are using the site for roosting and foraging.

In addition, solicitors for the Shannon Oaks Lodge Owners Association, located at the rear of the old hotel, say that they have issues with regard to the access to their properties.

However, they welcome the proposal to re-develop the Shannon Oaks Hotel – a view shared by the local business community, who believe that the reopening could provide an additional 100 jobs for the town.

“It is hard to quantify the loss of a hotel,” admitted Paul Dillon of Portumna Chamber of Commerce. “But all I do know is that our main street has been suffering since it was destroyed by fire”.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City  and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.