Refusal for Roscrea IPAS centre extension

Town’s community hotel plan was ‘always a joke’

An Coimisiún Pleanála has refused planning permission for a major extension to the Direct Provision centre at Roscrea’s former Racket Hall Hotel.

The commission’s ruling came in the same week that Tipperary Co Council confirmed that it has no plans to open a community hotel at the former Grants/Damer Court site in the town.

The controversial plan to increase accommodation at the Racket Hall, which became an IPAS centre in early 2024, from 40 to 100 bedrooms was turned down by the council last year. The council was of the view that the proposal submitted by Swiftcastle (Roscrea) Ltd would represent a use for which the location is not zoned or designated. The council expressed concern over the distance from the Racket Hall to the town centre and the absence of pedestrian infrastructure and lighting to serve the residential accommodation proposed. Further concern was expressed over traffic hazard and the setting of precedent for similar development.

Swiftcastle, which had previously informed the council of a need to meet “growing demand” for additional IPA accommodation, appealed the matter to an Coimisiún Pleanála. It stated that the hotel was granted a declaration accepting change of use, which expires on December 31, 2028; it believed the commission could consider temporary permission. “If the temporary exemption ceases prior to 2028, the property will revert to a hotel,” the applicant submitted. Swiftcastle was willing to accept a condition limiting the hotel to 80 bedrooms.

The commission also received observations from Michael Madden of Roscrea Chamber of Commerce, and local resident Margaret Walsh, both of whom previously objected to the plan, the former stating that Roscrea “has taken more than its fair share of international protection applicants” and that this has had “a negative impact on business in the town”.

After considering the case, an Coimisiún Pleanála upheld the council’s decision over the distance of the site to Roscrea town centre and the “lack of pedestrian infrastructure and public transport connections”. The commission ruled that the proposed extension would contravene the settlement strategy of the Tipperary County Development Plan and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The ruling was welcomed last week by local councillor Shane Lee.

‘HUGE WASTE OF TAXPAYERS’ MONEY’

Meanwhile, a meeting of the council’s Thurles Municipal District heard last week that the local authority would not be purchasing the former Grants/Damer Court. There had been hopes of reopening the town’s other hotel, which has been closed since 2013, as a community hotel, one where the profits would be channelled into the community.

The council received an allocation of €150,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Development for a feasibility study towards this end. But Tipperary TD Alan Kelly said it was always known that the council would not be purchasing the main street site.

“This idea that a community hotel could be created was always a joke from the beginning,” Deputy Kelly said. “The fact that the Government granted €150,000 to do a feasibility study on the creation of a community hotel was a huge waste of taxpayers’ money and should never have happened. There was no way on the wide earthly world that Tipperary Co Council or the Government or any other agency were going to create a community hotel in the location.

“The simple fact of the matter is that this idea came about because the Government and in particular Fianna Fáil came under so much pressure after the decision of the same Government to close the Racket Hall Hotel in the town and use it for IPAS accommodation. This was a stupid and ridiculous decision to take out the one remaining hotel and social gathering outlet in Roscrea.

‘FALSE HOPE’

“Having spoken to many people in tourism and being a former manager for Bord Fáilte and Fáilte Ireland, I always believed that this whole idea was stupid,” Deputy Kelly stated.

“I think it's also totally irresponsible for the Government and Fianna Fáil to be giving the people of Roscrea a false hope when in reality such a plan was never viable. The only hope for the future of the hotel is that some company or individual will purchase it and decide to turn it into a new business given its fantastic location.”