Local charities benefit as Glasson Lakehouse objection is withdrawn

The owners of the Glasson Lakehouse hotel have donated €50,000 to four local charities as part of an agreement which resulted in a nearby business owner withdrawing his planning objection to the hotel's €10 million upgrade.

Michael Barrett, of the Lakeside Marina, had lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála last July against the decision by Westmeath County Council to give the green light for a wide-ranging revamp of facilities at the luxury hotel owned by the Press Up Hospitality Group.

In his appeal, Mr Barrett, had highlighted the jetty, or marina, adjoining the hotel which the current owners had inherited and which did not have planning permission.

In a statement this week, the Press Up Hospitality Group said that, following discussions and negotiations with Mr Barrett, it had agreeing to "remove the contentious moorings, and also make generous donations to local charities".

The group said the withdrawal of the planning objection would now allow it to "further enhance the resort property with more guest accommodation and amenities".

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Mr Barrett explained that the hotel had transferred €50,000 directly to four local charities.

Lough Ree Access for All, the Lanesboro-based accessible boat for people with disabilities was given €20,000. Further sums of €10,000 each were paid to the Lough Ree RNLI Lifeboat, Athlone Sub Aqua Club, and the South Westmeath Hospice.

In addition, Mr Barrett said the hotel had provided €10,000 worth of vouchers, which he intended to distribute to local sports clubs or community organisations if they are in a position to raffle them and increase the funding benefit they derive from them.

"I objected to (the planning decision) because (the moorings) were unauthorised developments. It was an illegal marina," he said.

"I think it's a disgrace that a private individual has to go and try and do (this)," he said, when there are statutory authorities to regulate "unauthorised and illegal development".

In its planning decision last summer, Westmeath County Council accepted that there was a "jetty/marina" adjoining the hotel site which did not have planning permission.

However, it concluded that, since there were no additional works currently being proposed at the marina, the matter should be dealt with by its enforcement section, or through a separate application to regularise the marina's planning status.

Discussing the good causes which he had chosen to benefit from the hotel's donations, Mr Barrett said: "The Lough Ree Access For All boat in Lanesboro takes an awful lot of people out, who would never get on a lake, or on a boat, and gives them a lot of enjoyment. They do a brilliant job, and it's all voluntary work.

"The RNLI - hail, rain or snow, Christmas Day, in the middle of the night, anything like that - they are on call and on standby.

"Athlone Sub Aqua are absolutely brilliant. They're self-financed - they have to raise all of their own money. And I don't think anybody can disagree with giving money to the South Westmeath Hospice," he said.

Mr Barrett's objection was the sole objection lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the council's planning decision last summer.

The local authority had awarded the Glasson Lakehouse conditional retention or planning approval for developments including 20 "eco cabins" on stilts and a new single-storey banqueting room and terrace.

A seven-bedroom hotel extension, and a new two-storey gymnasium were also given the green light, as was a 12-metre outdoor heated swimming pool.

A new timber prefab to be used as a golf club reception area; a 197-square metre "barbecue pavilion"; balcony additions to some hotel rooms; and a lit pathway from the hotel to the lake shore were also approved, among other works, subject to certain conditions.