Planning permission sought for Bunclody retirement homes
A planning application has officially been lodged for the construction of a retirement community on Mill Road in Bunclody. Back in June of this year, a sign was erected at the site which revealed ‘Clody View Senior Living - Coming Soon’. Now an application has officially been made by local man Ciaran Kelly who intends to build eight retirement homes, comprising of six terraced and two semi-detached houses.
A local businessman, Mr Kelly has strong roots in the Bunclody area and it is believed that he has already engaged with neighbours and various other concerned parties over the last couple of months. Local councillor Barbara Anne Murphy feels that the development would be a positive one for the area.
‘I think this is something that’s greatly needed,’ she said. ‘Older people often want to downsize but have no suitable accommodation that they can move into. There are older people out there who can’t find suitable homes and these would be ideal.’
The sign erected back in June stated that the development would provide independent and assisted living and there were also plans for a rehabilitation centre.
Meanwhile, an eerie quiet surrounds the one bustling Millrace Hotel in the centre of Bunclody, since it’s purchase by Prudent Healthcare during the summer. While the move to change the hotel into a 59 bedroom nursing home was greeted with some opposition locally, with people saying the hotel formed a vital part of the local economy, locals now seem anxious that work get underway before the hotel falls into a state of disrepair.
‘I was told that they expect to start work towards the end of November,’ Cllr Murphy said. ‘ The sooner they start the better. It’s starting to look very dilapidated already. I was in the foyer a few weeks ago and it’s creepy how quickly its fallen into disrepair.’
After planning permission was granted for the nursing home, the locals behind the campaign to save the hotel were given a glimmer of hope after it emerged that an investor was supposedly interested in building a new boutique hotel for Bunclody. However, Cllr Murphy says there doesn’t seem to have been much development on this front as of yet.
‘We’ve heard nothing since,’ she said. ‘ There’s been no further information. It would be very positive for the town though. Usually there’d be a good buzz around the place for mid-term and Halloween at the hotel, but it was noticeably quieter this year. I’m keeping an eye out with both county councils to see if planning permission is lodged.’