A planning application for a Hostel on Abbey Terrace in Boyle has been withdrawn.
A decision on the application was due today Friday January 19th by Roscommon Co Co.
43 submissions had been received by Roscommon County Council in relation to the planning application by Bernard Reilly for change of use from existing Ground Floor Apartment and First Floor Apartment (No.4) and 2-storey dwellinghouse (No. 5) to use as hostel accommodation encompassing the entire building together with necessary alterations and all ancillary site works and services including parking at Abbey Terrace, (Knocknashee Townland), Sligo Road, Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
In recent weeks, an online petition against the planning application was set up by a group called ‘Boyle Concerned Locals’.
In a post on social media the group said “It would be great if everyone can click on the link and sign it (if you agree with the below) and forward this link to your contacts and try and get as many signatures as possible”.
The group added that the reasons they were objecting to the hostel was:
– “We have concerns about the building’s close proximity to Boyle Abbey. Boyle Abbey is a national monument, a protected structure and our main tourist attraction. The archaeological heritage may be impacted if planning is granted. Having a hostel right across the road would also take away from the scenic appeal of the Abbey and might deter people from visiting”.
– “The availability of parking spaces in this area is extremely low and having a hostel would only add to a problem that’s already there. In addition to being used by residents, the car parking spaces on the street are also used by tourist buses visiting the Abbey. When these car parking spaces are full, visibility is affected when travelling towards the busy roundabout at Shilling Hill. Having a hostel in the planned area may cause an overflow of parking which would hamper visibility even more and increase the risk of accidents”.
– “Hostels generally attract backpackers and large groups of stags which would indicate a party-like atmosphere. This is a residential area where this level of noise and this kind of atmosphere is not welcome. Also, these kinds of tourists do not visit Boyle”.
– “Safety is another concern as the proposed building is located on a very popular walking route that’s taken by locals in the early morning and late in the evening. The close proximity of the building to our national school is also a worry as many children walk past the building when going to and from school. There is no Garda presence in the town of Boyle and the station is running at a reduced capacity when it comes to hours and the number of Garda so the safety of the community must come into consideration”.
Welcoming the news of the withdrawal of planning permission for the hostel, the group posted: “This is good news for Boyle and we’d like to thank the hundreds of you that signed the online petition and to each person that submitted an objection”
