Council refuses permission for regional hub for homeless families
Westmeath County Council has refused planning permission for a homeless hub for families, which would have housed up to 32 people, at Bonavalley, Athlone, saying it would represent overdevelopment of a residential area.
Des Nally had applied for planning permission for a change of use of a seven-bedroom B&B with ensuite bathrooms, together with kitchen, dining, breakfast and living rooms, host rooms to a Midlands Regional Family Hub, to include two additional bedrooms, reception/administration area at basement level and other minor internal changes at Dun Riada, Bonavalley, Athlone. The application also covered revised onsite carparking, entrance gates, a front boundary wall, children's play area, landscaping and associated works.
Planning documents included a letter from The Good Shepherd Centre, which was to run the proposed hub, and stated that the family hub would provide accommodation for up to nine families which would be referred to the service by local authorities in the Midlands area. The service was to be staffed and monitored by support staff.
The council refused permission for the development on September 1, stating that "the nature, scale, and intensity of the proposed use would constitute overdevelopment of the site and introduce a form of accommodation with institutional characteristics that is wholly out of character with the surrounding low-density residential environment".
The council added that the proposed development would undermine the established residential character of the area.
The council considered that "the development would give rise to increased levels of activity, including noise, general disturbance, and service-related movements, which would adversely affect the residential amenity of adjoining properties. The proposed intensification would set an undesirable precedent for similar forms of overdevelopment in established residential areas and would therefore be contrary to the zoning provisions and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".
The application was initially made on May 23, with the council requesting further information on July 16.
A letter from The Good Shepherd Centre explained that the organisation had experience of providing emergency homeless and prevention services throughout the Midlands and South East. It stated that the Midlands Family Hub would offer placements of up to six months, though shorter placements may occur. The letter also stated that the service is supported by the local authority.
In its further information request, the council sought clarity on four issues, including capacity, open space, carparking and internal layout.
The council requested documentation from the registered service operator confirming the number of people who would be accommodated when the hub was operating at full capacity, and proposed management arrangements for the service.
In response, a letter from The Good Shepherd Service outlined that eight bedrooms would be utilised with a maximum capacity of four per room - one adult and three children, or two adults and two children. Larger families would be given two bedrooms and the letter stated that bedrooms can typically have one adult and one child. The total number of residents may be 16 adults, 16 children, or a mix, the letter stated.
The service was to be staffed 24/7, with one staff member at night and weekends, but a team leader and cleaner also present on weekdays. The ninth bedroom was for use by an overnight staff member, planning documents stated.
Westmeath County Council stated that the site was historically used as a modest B&B with six bedrooms, but was reconstructed following a previous planning application to include a seventh bedroom and had an occupancy circa 14, including the guesthouse operators. The current application would see a "further increase and intensification of the site", with nine bedrooms catering for 33 people in total - 32 homeless people and one staff member.
The council had also sought clarity on the proposed open space, which it considered minimal. It requested the applicant to submit revised plans to illustrate open space provision including a suitably sized play area for children of different.
Plans submitted by the applicant showed 59sqm of seating area, 29sqm sand pit and 45.5sqm teen area. The council deemed the outdoor areas insufficient, regarding the proposed numbers using the site.
Parking was also raised by the council, which pointed out that while the County Development Plan does not specifically provide for homeless accommodation, a comparative use of a guesthouse/B&B seemed appropriate. The required standard in such instances is one car parking space per bedroom, thus equating to a car parking requirement of nine spaces. It invited the applicant to submit details of the carparking layout in this regard.
The Good Shepherd Service responded that in its experience, due to the socio-economic background of the majority of the service users, they do not own cars, nor can they afford them, and they rely on public transport to get around. This response was noted by the council.