Planners give go-ahead for former Mercy Convent in Trim to be transformed into tourism accommodation

Plans to convert Trim’s 19th century Mercy Convent into tourism accommodation have been approved by an Coimisiun Pleanala with revised conditions following an appeal.

Local hotelier David O'Brien, who purchased the property from the Mercy Order in 2022, lodged a planning application in February 2024 to convert the convent into ten luxury apartment suites for short term letting with the convent's chapel to be retained for use for ceremonies such as weddings and baptisms as well as events such as art exhibitions and retreats.

Planning permission was sought for the change of use of the property from residential convent to tourism accommodation in ten apartment suites and also for the removal of the modern toilet and bathroom block and the reconfiguration, refurbishment, repairs and alterations to the internal layout of the convent.

The convent is a protected structure. Built Circa 1867, the convent is a seven-bay two-storey, gothic revival house designed by architect William Caldback. The property has many uses in its lifetime, most notably a home for the local community of nuns and a boarding school for girls.

The granting of planning permission for the development in April 2024 was appealed by Eco Advocacy CLG and Saint Mary's Convent Action Group and on 13th January an Coimisiun Pleanala decided to uphold the granting of planning permission with revised conditions.

An Coimisiun Pleanala considered that the proposed development would provide for the “appropriate adaptive reuse of a vacant Protected Structure to ensure its on-going protection and longevity on a prominent town centre site”, that it would not detract from the character and setting of the Protected Structure, that it would not seriously injure the residential amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity and would not represent a traffic safety issue.

Therefore, it ruled that the development would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Among the conditions attached is that the accommodation would be self-catering and maintained as a single unit. No subdivision or individual sale of units is permitted unless authorised by a separate grant of permission.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this permission does not include uses as permanent residential accommodation,” it states.

The conditions also stipulate that the use of the chapel shall be ancillary to the tourism accommodation and “shall not be used, sold, let or leased for events and functions independent of the tourism accommodation unless authorised by a separate grant of permission”.