BREAKING: Planning for Roscrea IPAS centre extension refused

Plans to extend a direct provision centre at the former Racket Hall Hotel in Roscrea have been refused.

The owners of the former hotel, which closed to the public abruptly in January of last year amid public protests, Swiftcastle Ltd, applied to Tipperary County Council for planning permission to build an additional 60 bedrooms at the former Racket Hall Hotel.

The application was for a three-storey bedroom wing extension to the side of the existing building, which also included a kitchen.

The decision was welcomed by local Independent County Councillor, Shane Lee, who led a campaign to object to the development and said the refusal represents "common sense".

"Personally, I don’t usually object to planning applications, however in this instance I felt the need to object to something that was solely about money making and profits for owners, some who aren’t even living in our country", Cllr. Lee said.

Protests outside the former hotel ran for over 10 weeks when it closed abruptly in January 2024. Photo: D. Keegan

"I wish to acknowledge the over 400 people who supported the objection by signing their names. Again, this shows by how working together with each other things can be achieved.

"Common sense has prevailed on such a serious matter for the people of our unique little town", the Roscrea based member of the Lowry Team said.

The refusal states it is considered the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard of obstruction to road users and is in conflict with the settlement strategy and the policies of the Tipperary County Development Plan.

The decision cites several issues, including the growth of accommodation at a location that is not zoned or designated for same and the distance from the development to the nearby settlement centre of Roscrea within which appropriately zoned and located lands for the development of residential accommodation exists.

The absence of infrastructure (pedestrian infrastructure and lighting) at the site to support or serve the residential accommodation proposed is also referenced.

"The settlement strategy and housing policies contained in the Tipperary County Development Plan 2022 and "the implications that a grant of permission may have and precedent it would set for similar developments of this nature", were other reasons.

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The decision states the proposed development is in conflict with the settlement strategy and the policies of the Tipperary County Development Plan 2022 that relate to residential development, in particular Policies 5-2, 5-5, and 5-11 notwithstanding the existing use of the site and is therefore considered to be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

It was also considered the requirement to provide sightlines at the site entrance to the public roadway and failure to demonstrate such sightlines would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard of obstruction to road users.