Rosslare hotel owner applies to build four town houses on site of previous IPAS application

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

A company which previously sought to develop a second International Protection Accommodation Scheme (IPAS) centre in Rosslare Harbour has applied for planning to build four new houses in the Co Wexford village.

Last January, Joe Germaine of Peachport Ltd sought planning permission to convert two properties in Rosslare Harbour into residences for the “purposes of accommodating displaced persons seeking international protection”.

The two properties, No. 1 and 2 Lighthouse Keepers House, are adjacent to the Dock Boutique Hotel, which is also owned by Peachport Ltd.

In its application in January 2025, Peachport applied for a “temporary change of use” of the two buildings from hotel use to “temporary guest accommodation”. However, that application was subsequently refused by Wexford County Council (WCC) which deemed that the proposed change of use wasn’t an exempted development and would require full planning permission to go ahead.

The proposal to convert those two houses into an IPAS centre came at the tail-end of a community protest which would eventually run for 463 days. That protest concerned the derelict Great Southern Hotel and the reneging of plans to turn it into a nursing home.

After it was confirmed that the new owner of the Great Southern intended to build an IPAS centre there (in addition to the existing one in a village with a population of approximately 2,250) residents in Rosslare Harbour staged a number of peaceful protests and organised a 24/7 picket at the entrance of the old hotel.

That application was ultimately abandoned after An Coimisiún Pleanála ruled that the developer required full planning permission to build an IPAS centre at the Great Southern.

Now, in a new application, Peachport has applied for planning permission to construct four town houses at the site of No 1. Lighthouse Keepers House.

Submitted on August 18, 2026, the planning application is for “alterations to existing stone wall to east and south (of the property), and construction of four terraced two-storey town houses, five car parking spaces, single storey refuse and bike storages, and all associated connections to road network, drainage arrangements, and utility connections”.

Wexford County Council is due to make its final decision on this planning application by October 12. Those who wish to make third-party observations and submissions have until September 21 to do so.