Council set to rule on unfinished Mayo hotel project
he former Healy's Hotel in Pontoon in the early 1900s. Picture: Wynne Collection
Mayo County Council is set to decide this month on the granting of a five-year planning permission extension for a hotel project that has been abandoned and unfinished for years.
There was great excitement when construction work first began in 2019 on Healy’s Hotel in Pontoon The ambitious project was expected to revitalise the picturesque beauty spot which was once home to two hotels. However, Covid-19 and rising construction costs was blamed for the downing of tools and the site has lain idle for years.
The planned demolition of the historic building was delayed for almost a year after an appeal against the decision was lodged with An Bord Pleanala in June 2018.
Planning permission was previously granted to John James Reddington and Michael Cusack for a boutique hotel boasting 14 bedrooms at the lakeside location. A bar and restaurant was also planned.
A request for a planning permission extension stated that the works are now expected to be completed by March 2029.
There are substantial works yet to be undertaken or completed including a first-floor spa relaxation area, an outdoor terrace, two pergolas, and major revisions to the building’s exterior, along with other works.
Works on the roof, façade, boundary finalisation and plumbing and electrical have also to be carried out.
The local authority is set to make a decision on the extension by August 26.
Cllr Neil Cruise previously described Pontoon as the “sleeping giant” of Mayo tourism.
"The way the area has deteriorated is nothing short of scandalous. We need a sustainable masterplan and tourist plan for the Pontoon area. Lough Conn and Lough Cullen have massive tourism potential," he told a meeting of Mayo County Council
The original building had traded as a hotel, restaurant/bar and fishing lodge since the 1840s.
A section of the building was destroyed by a fire in 2011 with the premises put on the market in 2015.
