Developers appeal council’s refusal of extension at controversial Tipperary IPAS centre
The operators of a controversial asylum accommodation centre in Tipperary have appealed a decision by Tipperary County Council to refuse planning permission for a major extension that would add 60 new bedrooms.
Swiftcastle have appealed Tipperary County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for an extension of the Racket Hall IPAS centre in Roscrea.
The developers applied to build a single-storey kitchen extension to the side of the existing building and a three-storey bedroom wing extension to the side of the building, which would add 60 new bedrooms.
The local authority refused permission for the development on the grounds that it would set an undesirable precedent, that there isn’t enough infrastructure in the area to support it, and that the proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard or obstruction to road users, the council said.
Now, Swiftcastle have appealed that decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála on the basis that there is a shortage of accommodation for International Protection Applicants (IPAs) across the country.
"The application was made as an attempt to provide additional and much needed direct provision accommodation,” the developers noted in their appeal.
The developers also say that the proposed kitchen extension would be needed to “increase the kitchen capacity based on the number of additional rooms proposed”.
In the proposed new accommodation block, “each room is designed in a manner that can accommodate four persons in terms of the direct provision use,” the developers said.
"This exemption for the change of use of the former hotel is a temporary use that will be discontinued... on December 31, 2028.
"We request that the Commission… attach a further condition that enables the change of use of the of the proposed development, from its use as a temporary direct provision centre, to an extension of the hotel on cessation of the temporary use,” developers added.
The Roscrea hotel was the site of frequent protests last year, with local residents camping out at the hotel for 10 weeks in protest of the closure of the town’s only hotel to be used for asylum seeker accommodation.
Violent scuffles with Gardaí made national headlines last year when women and children were bussed into the site, with the hotel understood to have space for up to 160 international protection applicants.
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If given the green light by An Coimisiún Pleanála, the proposed extension would increase the total numbers of international protection applicants at Racket Hall to 220.
Local councillor Shane Lee criticised the appeal, describing the centre as “a money-making scheme”.
"I’m not one bit surprised if I’m really honest - because let’s say it as it is - this is some money making machine.
"Not one red cent has gone back into our community that I am aware of from this multi million euro money pit from Swiftcastle,” Cllr Lee said.
"Again, I’d be confident that the board would see common sense when this is looked at, because they are breaching the guidelines outlined in the County Development Plan I’d be confident,” he added.