Plans for hostel on grounds of historic former Meath hotel rejected by planning chiefs
PLANS to build a hostel capable of accommodating almost 30 people on the grounds of one of county Meath’s most historic former hotels has been rejected by local authority planning officials.
Hugh O’Donoghue of Alverno House in Laytown tabled plans with Meath County Council in January to construct a single storey hostel, comprising seven dormitory rooms with a view to accommodating 28 guests.
The designs had likewise made way for a managers room capable of accommodating two members of staff, a kitchen, reception area, common area and dining area.
The proposed development also incorporated male and female toilets as well as bicycle parking that would have spanned a gross floor area of over 350sq m.
Alverno House is a prominent family run hospitality business located on the shores of Laytown beach and the River Nanny Estuary.
An existing mix of caravan and mobile home structures were earmarked for removal to facilitate the proposed hostel.
The building itself, a listed structure and currently in use as a public house at ground floor level, had not been part of the proposed plans.
In its ruling, Meath County Council turned down the development due to three overriding reasons.
In a strongly worded letter of refusal, local authority chiefs expressed concern over what it branded an “incoherent and substandard” proposed development.
“There is uncertainty regarding the proposed development and that if approved, may seriously injure the residential amenities of property in the vicinity and the residential amenities of future occupants in the area,” the council stated.
Planning officials were just as outspoken in their fears as to how the development might impinge on the protected structural status currently enjoyed by Alverno House.
It also said granting permission for the plans would be “premature” owing to a lack of information as to how the development would avoid impacting the River Nanny estuary and “shore special protection” area.