30-bed hostel plan for Navan lodged with council
A PLANNING application to develop a 30-bed hostel on Navan's Flower Hill has been submitted to Meath County Council.
The proposal concerns the former June Rayfus Interiors unit at the top of Flower Hill, which was put on the market last year and subsequently sold.
Late last month, Landstone Property Management Limited lodged a planning application seeking permission for a change of use of the entire ground floor of the property and two existing storage units to the rear to new hostel accommodation containing 30 bedspaces and an allocation of five carparking spaces to the rear of the property with three being allocated for the hostel accommodation development and two spaces for the existing residential apartments to the first floor.
The site is zoned 'C1 Mixed Use' in the Meath County Development Plan which is to provide for and facilitate mixed residential and employment generating uses and the application cover letter outlines that hotel/motel/hostel is a permitted land use in this zoning category.
The 30 bedspaces would be provided across seven bedrooms together with necessary ancillary accommodation.
"We respectfully submit that the subject site is a prime location for the proposed use given its proximity to the town centre and the growing need for hostel accommodation around town centre," the cover letter states.
"With a growing focus on bringing tourism to Co Meath, we submit that the proposal is well located to ensure a flexible, cost efficient accommodation option that provides convenient access to a number of tourist sites," it also says.
Seven submissions have so far been made on the plans. Some of the concerns raised in those submissions include inadequate parking, traffic congestion, noise, anti-social behaviour, that is an inappropriate location and also that if changed from commercial it would reduce the active frontage on the street. One submission speculated that it would be changed to IPAS accommodation.
There has also been commentary on social media that the development would ultimately end up as an IPAS centre. However, when contacted, the developer rejected these claims saying the application relates solely to tourism and hostel-style accommodation.
A spokesperson for the Landstone Property Management Group said: "I can clarify that the application relates solely to tourism and hostel-style accommodation. It does not involve the provision of international protection accommodation.
"It is important to note that if the intention were to provide international protection accommodation, planning permission would not be required under current regulations. The fact that we have submitted a planning application demonstrates that our project is focused on local tourism and providing affordable, short-term lodging.
"I hope this clarification helps to ensure accurate public understanding and prevents further misinformation from circulating."