Refusal for 16 retirement homes in Offaly area

OFFALY County Council has refused to grant permission for 16 single storey retirement homes at Esker Ri Nursing Home, in Kilnabinnia, Clara. The application was in the name of Kevin and Anna Marie Maher.

Esker Ri nursing home is around one kilometre to the Southeast of Clara along the R420.

The nursing home has two entrances one off the R420 and a second at the rear of the nursing home off the existing rural roadway.

According to the planning application, the homes were to be of single storey, set in a linear fashion and set back into the landscape.

The current site is described as having a number of large bunds and the intention was to grade the land to a safe slope of approximately thirty degrees and blend the homes into the landscape,

Planning permission was previously obtained for 12 retirement homes but these homes were never constructed.

The proposed homes were to be used for short-to medium term accommodation only and the application stated that they ''will not be used as a place of normal residence. The 16 retirement homes will be ancillary to and will be tied in with the use and operation of the existing nursing home on this site.''

The application went on to say, ''the retirement homes will not be used, leased, sold or otherwise disposed of, as independent permanent homes, living units, separate from the nursing home function.''

The applicants said they had reduced the visual impact of the retirement homes by setting them into the landscape and providing screening berms/banks adjacent to the south -western and southern elevations to partially screen the development.

Offaly County Council has not yet published its reasons for refusing the development

The Esker Ri nursing home which was completed in 2011 provides accommodation for 130 male and female residents over two floors.

In 2016 Offaly County Council granted permission for a 36 bed extension to the nursing home ''Residents are accommodated in single and twin bedrooms with full en suite facilities. The designated centre provides mainly residential care to older adults and also provides respite, convalescence and care for people with an intellectual disability, physical disability, acquired brain injury, dementia and palliative care needs.

The provider employs a staff team consisting of registered nurses, care assistants, activity coordination staff, administration, maintenance, housekeeping and catering staff.''

Just this month Esker Ri joined the Evergreen nursing home group.