Plans for hostel on Navan's Flower Hill are withdrawn

A planning application to develop a 30-bed hostel on Navan's Flower Hill has been withdrawn by the applicant.

The proposal concerned the former June Rayfus Interiors unit at the top of Flower Hill, which was put on the market in 2024 and subsequently sold.

Last October, 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.

Plans included 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 it was the applicant's view that hotel/motel/hostel was a permitted land use in this zoning category.

It was proposed that 30 bedspaces be provided across seven bedrooms together with necessary ancillary accommodation.

The plans drew several objections locally and a total of 19 submissions were made. Some of the concerns raised in the submissions included 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.

Meath County Council requested further information on a number of points on 19th December and earlier this week, the application was withdrawn.

There were several points that the planning authority had requested more information on.

Among them, the applicant was asked to submit a business justification statement with a detailed report on the need for a hostel in the location and what tourism facilities and attractions it could be linked to.

Further information was also sought on the type of tourist the hostel would cater for, details on booking policies and how long guests would be allowed to stay, and details on the day to day operation including staffing, provision of food, opening/check-in hours, frequency of deliveries and how it would be managed.

Clarity was also sought on whether food would be prepared or served on site or whether guests will repair the food themselves and the applicant was asked to detail provision of refrigeration space, cooking facilities, utensil wash facilities, food prep sinks and wash hand basins.

The planning authority felt the layout resulted in a "haphazard arrangement that did not adequately promote pedestrian safety, legibility or overall usability of the site" and furthermore did not feel the hostel layout and design represented a high quality design response appropriate to a tourism-related development. It was suggested that they come back with design amendments to improve the overall layout and quality of the site.

The applicant was also asked to respond to the points made in the submissions.

The applicant has a six month period in which to respond to the further information request supplying the additional information sought.

However, the planning application was withdrawn by Landstone Property Management Company on 19th January.