Plans to refurish the remainder of former iconic hotel in the heart of Navan

Plans to refurish the remainder of the former St Laurence Hotel, now 'Leon's' on Market Square in Navan, have been submitted to Meath County Council.

The hotel was once a focal point in the town and now owner Leon Duffy, who has refurbished part of the building including the facade, is proposing to refurbish the hotel rooms and return it to its original purpose as a thriving hotel.

Permisson is being sought for the refurbishment of the remainder of the commercial unit on the ground floor and the existing hotel rooms and ancillary spaces on the first and second floors, including works to the roofs, provision of an external stairway/pathways and all associated site works.

The former St Laurence Hotel is a protected structure and is located within the Navan Town Architectural Conservation Area and Zone of Archaeological Importance.

The cover letter with the application notes that the front of the building and a small commercial unit on the ground floor have been restored already along with the double-pitch roofs and chimneys but that the premises have been derelict for many years and are at risk of passing a point where they can be saved from total loss.

It notes that emergency works were carried out to prevent further deterioration when the building was purchased and now the final stage of conservation works and refurbishment of the building is proposed to revive it fully and bring it back to its original purpose as a hotel.

The intention is that the entire building and grounds will be reinstated over a period of time. "The hope is not only to save the structure itself but to return it to everyday use as part of a vibrant Market Square, which is the purpose of the current planning application," the cover letter states.