D-day ahead for arts centre project

Offaly County Council is expected to decide on Monday whether to grant planning permission for a community arts centre at the site of the former Kilroy’s store at High Street, Tullamore.

Plans for the long-awaited project have recently been published for public consultation, under Part VIII of the Planning and Development Act, through which the council consider planning approval for its own projects.
The proposed development consists of the partial demolition, alteration, extension and change of use of the former Kilroy’s store to a new Community Arts Centre. 
The works will include alterations to the layout and elevations of the existing building with a new roof to the first floor level to the rear of the building. The new extension will be over four levels to form a new theatre space, extra accommodation and bar area. 
The development will include alterations to Meath Lane with the intention of reopening it in whole or in part and provision of service access from Tara Street. 
The closing date for submissions on the plan expired on May 3 last and a report by the council’s chief executive on the plan and public submissions, if any, will be tabled at Monday’s meeting of Offaly County Council.
Proposals to develop an arts centre in Tullamore stretch back into the last decade.
In 2007, the project received a boost with a grant allocation of €2m.
The following year, representatives of both the arts and business communities in Tullamore, came together with representatives of Offaly County Council and Tullamore Town Council, to form Tullamore Community Arts Centre Ltd. 
An initial plan to develop an arts centre on a site donated free of charge by Tullamore Town Council at Kilbride Plaza was later abandoned.
In November 2015, Offaly County Council purchased the former Kilroy’s building in Tullamore to be developed as an arts centre. 
An application for a further €500,000 has been made to the Department of Arts, while €200,000 has been fundraised locally. 
A finance committee has been established by the board to raise the balance of the cost of the project.
The Tullamore Community Arts Centre Ltd previously said it hoped to have the project concluded by the end of 2019.