Ardee service station car wash plan refused by council
Ardee service station car wash plan refused by council
Planning permission for works at a service station on the Drogheda Road in Ardee has been refused by Louth County Council, according to recently published planning records.
The application related to the Top Oil Apple Red Service Station, located at Mullameelan on the Drogheda Road, just outside Ardee town.
The development application, submitted by Road Fitters Ireland Ltd, sought retention and completion permission for several works carried out to the rear of the existing service station.
The planning application was officially refused on March 6, 2026, under Planning Reference Number 2560667.
Details of the proposed development
The proposal included a number of additions and modifications to the existing service station site.
According to the application, the development involved:
- Retention and completion of a drive-through car wash facility
- Revised boundary treatments around the site
- New hardstanding areas
- Installation of site lighting
- Addition of two fuelling pump stations
- A water attenuation unit
- Petrol interceptors
- Associated site development works to the rear of the station
The works were intended to expand the facilities available at the service station, which already serves motorists travelling along the busy Drogheda Road route.
Planning decision issued by council
The planning application was received by Louth County Council on October 21, 2025, before being assessed by the local authority’s planning department.
Following consideration of the proposal, the council issued a decision to refuse permission for the retention and completion of the works.
Details outlining the full planning decision and documentation are available through the Louth County Council planning portal.
Further information on the application can be viewed here:
http://www.eplanning.ie/LouthCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560667/0
Busy location on Ardee’s main route
The service station is located along the Drogheda Road in Mullameelan, one of the main routes connecting Ardee with Drogheda.
Fuel stations along this route are frequently used by local motorists, commuters and commercial vehicles travelling between towns in County Louth.
The proposed expansion, including the addition of a drive-through car wash and extra fuel pumps, was expected to increase services available to customers at the location.
What happens next
Under Irish planning rules, applicants whose proposals are refused by a local authority may choose to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála, Ireland’s national planning appeals board.
At this stage it is not yet known whether an appeal will be submitted in relation to the Ardee application.
Planning decisions such as this form part of the ongoing development process in towns across County Louth, where businesses regularly seek permission to expand or upgrade existing facilities to meet customer demand.
