A DECISION by Letterkenny Town Council to grant planning permission for a ‘gaming arcade’ at Ballyraine has been rubber stamped this week by An Bord Pleanála (ABP).
Last September, council planners made a decision of intention to grant permission to Milford man, Mr Darren McGarry, for the change of use of the existing unit six to an “amusement arcade” with gaming machines at Ballyraine Retail Park, beside ‘Arena 7’.
However, that decision was appealed to ABP by planning consultant, Mr Gerard Convie.
Called ‘Coral Island Amusement Emporium’, it is believed that one of the country’s leading gaming arcade owners, Mr Richard Quirke, is behind this development.
Mr Quirke owns Dr Quirkey’s Good Time Emporium, which contains a casino, on O’Connell Street, Dublin, and is also behind the proposed 460 million euro casino in Two-Mile Borris, County Tipperary.
In 2012, a decision to grant permission to Mr McGarry for a large gaming arcade in the former Gleneany House Hotel was successfully appealed to ABP by Mr Convie.
In his latest objection, Mr Convie argued that a gaming arcade should be located within the town centre and “preferably along the Main Street.”
He also warned that, to grant permission, would set a “dangerous precedent” which the council may not be able to contain.
However, ABP’s board agreed with their inspector’s recommendation that planning permission be granted with revised conditions.
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