New Wellness HQ Application At Downs Golf Clubhouse

The old Glen Of The Downs Golf Club… Pic: Dooley Auctioneers

t was back in January 2017 that the Glen Of The Downs Golf Club shut its doors, the 59 hectares site going to market four months later with an asking price of €1.25m.

And then, in March 2025, with the course mercifully going back to earth, an application was filed with Wicklow Planning to turn the old clubhouse into a ‘community-orientated’ health and wellness centre.

Not sure what the alternative is to being community-based might be though. Isn’t that akin to a new grocers in your town wanting to be a ‘local shop’…?

And that might be one of the reasons Wicklow County Council turned the application down in May last year, stating that the development would have ‘no connection to the rural area’, arguing that the wellness centre ‘would primarily serve the residents of urban areas’. They also weren’t crazy about the ‘absence of any specific Objectives in the County Development Plan 2022 to support the development of existing vacant buildings and brownfield sites‘.

The second main objection argued that the proposed development ‘would be prejudicial to public health because the applicant has failed to demonstrate that the existing waste water treatment would be in compliance with EPA CoP Treatment Systems for Small Communities, Business, Leisure Centres & Hotels 1999′.

There was also one objection from a neighbouring house. Naturally enough.

Still, would be good to see this derelict building coming to life again, and so, Koolkazz Company are taking another shot.

Filed on June 9th, pre-validation planning application 2660512 reads…

change of use of the existing former golf club house building and grounds to an immersive nature guest wellness retreat and short-stay tourism accommodation facility, together with associated internal reconfiguration and refurbishment works of the existing building footprint only. Internal works include: reconfiguration and refurbishment of the existing building to provide retreat accommodation units, a yoga and meditation studio and associated retreat facilities; replacement of the existing heating system; upgrades to mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. Works also include: replacement of existing windows and doors where required for the proposed use; alterations to a number of existing external openings; formation of a limited number of new external openings in the existing elevations to match existing materials and finishes; and upgrades of existing roof glazing together with the formation and installation of a limited number of new low-profile roof windows to match existing. External works include: refurbishment of existing external lighting and existing site services; limited small-scale landscaping and planting; replacement of a limited area of existing tarmac surface with permeable paving; provision of a covered cycle-parking area; provision of a bin storage enclosure; and reconfiguration of the existing car parking layout to incorporate dedicated accessible parking bays

In their cover letter reports, the Koolkazz gang earlier Wicklow Planning concerns are addressed, with a Biocycle WWTS Fitness For Purpose Certificate pointing out that their client Sarah Doyle’s new plans are ‘substantially compliant with design and location requirements’ when it comes to that wastewater issue. There’s also a Tourism Market Justification Note, pointing out that the planned retreat is ‘location-dependent and serves a demonstrable market need that cannot be met in an urban setting’. Martin Noone Architect also sent their detailed thumbs up.

You can check out the 2025 decision letter and the original cover letter in full here, the January 2017 closure here and new planning application no.2660512 here. Now, back to 2016…