New 'boutique hostel' approved for busy Mayo town
An Coimisiún Pleanála has overruled one of its own inspectors and granted planning permission for a ‘boutique hostel’ in West Mayo.
An Coimisiún Pleanála has overruled one of its own inspectors and granted planning permission for a ‘boutique hostel’ in West Mayo.
Permission has been approved to develop and renovate the former Cap Factory building in Westport and transform the derelict property into a hostel.
A planning inspector had recommended that planning permission be refused due to a legal dispute over a laneway between the Porter House and Matt Molloy’s pubs on Bridge Street. The pub owners objected to claims by the developer to the right of way of a laneway between the public houses to use as access to the development. The building dates back to the 1830s and has been vacant since the 1980s.
The planning inspector found that the applicant failed to provide “evidence of consent, or demonstrated sufficient legal interest for the inclusion of the lands forming part of the proposed development, which are integral to enable the development to be implemented".
“It would therefore be inappropriate for the Commission to consider a grant of permission for the proposed development in such circumstances,” he stated.
However, An Comisiún Pleanála ruled that the legal dispute was of a ‘civil nature’ and did not preclude the granting of planning permission.
The commission cited that Mayo County Council previously granted planning permission and determined that the legal issue was “not grounds for refusal in itself". The council decision had been appeal to the commission on a number of grounds, including the legal dispute. There were also concerns raised about "poor quality" tourism accommodation and concern over potential future change of use.
An application by the same developer in 2021 to construct apartments and a work unit at the site was turned down by both the council and the then An Bord Pleanála.
There was then a 2024 application to convert the building into a 13-bedroom hostel. When the developer revised their plans and reduced the number of bedrooms from 13 to eight, the council opted to grant planning permission.
