Changes sought for church on site of old Dunshaughlin nightclub

A PLANNING application seeking minor changes to a planning permission granted last year for the conversion of the Vortex nightclub at the former County Club premises outside Dunshaughlin into a church is currently being considered by Meath County Council.

The Romanian Pentecostal Church Mount Zion CLG was granted planning permission last July for the change the use of the nightclub element of the well-known former public house and restaurant at Growtown, Dunshaughlin, into a church.

The plans included raising the flat roof of the nightclub to allow for a new mezzanine level as part of the proposed church. The window arrangement on all sides of the proposed church would be altered and a separate side entrance atrium and a rear ground floor extension were also approved.

The planning application outlined that it was intended that the original separate bar/restaurant would continue as a restaurant and will be unlicenced which means it won't sell alcohol.The two existing vehicular entrances are to remain along with all of the existing on-site car parking spaces.

The latest planning application, lodged just before Christmas, seeks an increase in the footprint of the church entrance foyer to 4m x 8m internally with the addition a of a glazed canopy over the entrance doors and alterations to the fenestration (window arrangement) to accommodate the alterations to the entrance foyer.

The provision of an additional set of double doors to the front ground floor elevation is also proposed together with the provision of PV panels to the flat roof only over the mezzanine section. As part of the application, the two side wings of the internal mezzanine are to be omitted.

The Romanian Pentecostal Church, Mount Zion, is currently based at the Dublin Industrial Estate in Glasnevin, Dublin 11. Documents with the original planning application stated that their existing premises is "no longer suitable for their needs and hence the their recent purchase of the subject property 'the County Club' which consists of a bar/restaurant and adjoining flat roofed nightclub of long standing".

"The converted night-club element of the site will be used a church by our clients and the original bar and restaurant will be retained largely 'as is' to serve our client's congregation as a social centre but importantly to also serve as a community amenity/restaurant. Thee will be no alcohol served as our clients do not wish to seek a licence to do so, the current licence having been extinguished.

The County Club in Dunshaughlin was a very well known and successful establishment run by the Peters family for 40 years. The landmark site ceased trading at the onset of Covid and did not reopen after the pandemic. It was put on the market in 2024 with a price guide of excess €1,500,000.