Planning permission has been lodged by Supermacs owner Pat McDonagh for the construction of a new service station, similar to the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall, just off the motorway at Togher outside Portlaoise.
Mr McDonagh, who also owns the hotel group behind the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise, has lodged plans with Laois County Council for the development of a two-storey service area with shops, a food court and petrol pumps at Junction 17 at the M7 at Togher.
The development will include a retail unit, a food court and drive-thru, communal seating area, office, toilet and kitchen facilities, adjacent to Junction 17.
The development will also include six filling pumps abd improvement works to the existing road network at Togher.
Mr McDonagh purchased the 109-acre NAMA controlled site for a price in the region of €3.25 million.
Laois County Council have been approved to purchase 76 acres back from Mr McDonagh as they seek to develop the site in a bid to attract jobs and investment to the county.
If the development gets the go ahead it will mean the drivers on the M7 will now have a range of stop-off options in the vicinity including Junction 14 at Monasterervin, the Gandon Inn at Junction 15, the Midway and Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall and the Manor Stone Topaz – also owned by Mr McDonagh – in Ballacolla.
Planning permission was recently refused for petrol pumps at the Midway Food Court.
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