Council refuse permission to turn function room of Mayo hotel into homeless accommodation

MAYO County Council has refused planning permission to turn the function room of Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina into homeless accommodation.

An application by Pat Mulhern Civil Engineering (Ireland) Limited, the owner of the Dolphin Hotel in Crossmolina to retain and complete a change of use of the single-story function room from commercial to social and residential accommodation was met with a number of objections from local residents and groups.

The hotel located on Ballina Street underwent an expensive major renovation in 2017 but it has been offering homeless accommodation under a partnership with Mayo County Council.

There are currently ten bedrooms in the hotel but the owners looked to add another ten bedrooms in the function room to sleep an additional 21 people.

The application was fiercely opposed by local people with 78 third party submissions received by Mayo County Council with the majority calling on the local authority to refuse planning permission. Many people who made submissions raised concerns that the loss of the hotel will have a negative impact on the community while there were also traffic concerns raised.

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In one submission signed by up to 35 people, they accused the owner and management of this hotel of showing blatant disregard and disrespect for the planning authorities, the people of Crossmolina and surrounding areas.

“Crossmolina needs its hotel back, which is run properly, could be a going concern, as it was in the past. We sincerely hope that Mayo County Council will not grant planning permission as to do so would be a huge negative as against the many positives happening in the town and surrounding areas,” the submission read.

Local councillor Michael Loftus, who held a meeting of Mayo County Council in the function room when he was Cathaoirleach of the local authority also raised concerns with the proposed application.

“This hotel was once a vibrant establishment within our community until it was acquired by Mr Mulhern in 2017. Regrettably due to mismanagement, the business has since declined.

“It is disheartening to see Mr Mulhern seeking to capitalise on the challenging circumstances faced by homeless individuals in our communities throughout Mayo. The area proposed for development within the hotel is the function room, which has a low ceiling and limited natural light, making it an unsuitable environment for such a purpose,” he wrote in his submission.

Steady Decline

In the planning application, Bury Architects on behalf of the applicant stated that population decline of Crossmolina town over the last 20 years coupled with a steady decline in public house and related trade over the last two decades has meant the Dolphin Hotel was not performing after an expensive major renovation in 2017.

“The hotel has the option in the future to revert to a hotel/hostel use offering mainstream accommodation to the public and fulfill a tourism objective in the area. It is certain that no viable business was going to continue, and the proposed development of the property can be seen as positive by keeping the building in use. I am sure the complete demise and closure of the building would be entered as a sad day in the history of the town.

“Temporary homelessness is becoming a norm in Ireland, be it unwelcome. Emergency accommodation offered on these premises will help people in genuine need. Tourism accommodation may be offered in the future and the use of the premises for social accommodation will allow the doors to remain open awaiting an upturn in the tourism, pub and restaurant trades,” the report stated.

In the planning report, council planners stated that the comments and concerns raised through the third party submissions are valid and the proposal is not considered to be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The planners also raised concerns regarding the 'inadequate levels of car parking provision' and as a result recommended that planning be refused as the proposed development would endanger public safety ‘by reason of traffic hazard due to the additional traffic movements that would be generated’.