Major expansion planned for Garrycastle Spar

The Spar shop in Garrycastle is to undergo a major expansion, if plans lodged with Westmeath County Council get the green light.

The project, which is poised to cost up to €500,000, will include the development of a filling station, canopy and car wash; an extension of the existing shop to incorporate a coffee dock seated area for 40 people and the provision of a bicycle hire and storage hut, storage units, car parking spaces, landscaping and pedestrian and bicycle pathways.

The plans follow the opening of the cycleway last autumn which has been a success among both locals and visitors to the area.

While permission has already been granted for the filling station element of the project, as part of the fresh application it is proposed to reposition this to allow for the provision of the bicycle hire section.

If the project gets the go ahead, it will be a significant boost to the area and will result in the creation of jobs.

Currently there are 32 people employed at the business which is run by Joe and Denise Donegan.

It is expected that an additional five or six jobs will be created when the business is extended next year, pending permission being granted.

The Donegans have operated the business as Spar since 2001.

It is hoped that work will commence on the extension in March 2017, pending the granting of planning.