Green light for upgrade works at popular Leitrim community centre
Leitrim County Council has granted permission for the redevelopment of a community centre in Carrigallen, with plans for a new extension, improved layout, and added facilities
Conditional planning permission has been approved for works to a community centre in South Leitrim following an application submitted by a voluntary organisation in December.
The application was lodged by Margaret of New Orleans Community Association CLG, a voluntary organisation based in Carrigallen.
The group was established in 2008 with the objective of creating a memorial cottage to honour Margaret Haughery, an Irish emigrant who left Leitrim for the United States at the age of five and later became a well-known philanthropist.
Over the years, the group has carried out a range of projects and officially opened the restored memorial cottage in 2013. In 2024, the association became the owners of Margaret’s Corner Community Centre in Carrigallen.
In the planning application submitted by the association, the proposal sought to demolish an existing two-storey extension to the rear of the community centre, which is located on Main Street, Carrigallen. The plans include the construction of a new two-storey extension at the rear of the building, incorporating a stairwell, a lift, a kitchen, a meeting room, and toilet facilities.
The application also outlines alterations to the internal layout of the existing building, including revisions to floor plans and elevations.
In addition, the association sought permission to install solar panels on both the front and rear slopes of the existing roof, along with connecting the development to existing services and carrying out all associated site works.
Planning permission was granted by Leitrim County Council on Thursday, April 23, subject to seven conditions.
These conditions include that site development and construction works must take place between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, and between 8am and 2pm on Saturdays; that the applicant or developer is responsible for the proper design, construction, and maintenance of all surface water drainage installed as part of the development; and that all excavated material, as well as construction and demolition waste, must be retained within the site boundaries and reused to the greatest extent possible.
Margaret’s Corner Community Centre is actively used by a variety of groups, including MSLETB, and regularly hosts events such as coffee mornings and birthday parties. The initiative to develop the community centre arose following the war in Ukraine and the subsequent arrival of evacuees in Carrigallen, which highlighted the need for a shared community and communal space.