30-bed hostel plan near women’s refuge and schools withdrawn
A planning application seeking to convert part of a building on Flower Hill in Navan into a 30-bed hostel has been withdrawn from Meath County Council.
The proposal related to a property at 41 Flower Hill, a former interior design premises, and involved a change of use of the entire ground floor and two rear storage blocks into hostel accommodation providing 30 bedspaces.
Before the application was withdrawn, more than 10 submissions had been lodged with the local authority raising concerns about the suitability of the location for hostel-style accommodation.
Several residents highlighted the close proximity of a women’s refuge and a number of schools to the proposed development.
One objection stated that Scoil na nÓg Montessori School is located approximately 200 metres from the site, while St Ultan’s Special School and a women’s refuge and support service facility are located even closer.
The submission said those who attend such services are “vulnerable to the ills of society” and urged the council to consider “the paramount importance of the safety and protection of vulnerable people” when assessing the application.
Another resident said the presence of a women’s refuge beside the proposed hostel should be “carefully considered”, adding that the development of a 30-bed hostel in the area could make women and children using the service "feel unsafe”.
The plans included the allocation of five car parking spaces to the rear of the property — three for the proposed hostel and two for existing first-floor apartments — along with the provision of 10 bicycle parking spaces.
Alterations to existing windows and doors, the infilling of some openings and associated internal works, drainage and landscaping also formed part of the application.
The applicant, Landstone Property Management Limited, also sought retention permission for a number of existing openings across the street-facing block and rear structures.
Flower Hill is a busy mixed residential and commercial area on the edge of Navan town centre, with a number of retail units, offices and apartments along the street.
The application was lodged on October 27, 2025, and has now been formally withdrawn. No decision was made on the proposal.