Permission sought for 65 homes and a nursing home at former Ballina school site
The former St Mary's Secondary School, McDermott Street, Ballina.
Planning applications have been lodged with Mayo County Council at the site of the former St Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina for a nursing home and a total of 65 housing units.
CH Care Services Ltd had previously acquired permission to use the site of the former all-girls school on McDermott Street, which moved to a new premises in 2022, as an IPAS Centre, however, these plans never materialised.
A planning application to convert the premises to apartments was withdrawn in August and had attracted significant opposition from residents of the nearby Convent Hill estate.
New proposals have now been submitted by the applicant.
CH Care Services Ltd are seeking permission for the construction of a 104-bed nursing home with ancillary rooms along with associated access roads, parking areas, green areas, footpaths, boundaries and services.
As part of this application, they are seeking permission to use existing entrances at the Convent of the Immaculate Conception and Convent Hill. The Council are due to make a decision by November 18th on this application.
In relation to the other planning application, it remains at pre-validation phase with no due date yet set by the local authority. The applicant is seeking to change the use of the former secondary school into a total of 27 apartments, including 16 one-bedroom units, 8 two-bedroom units and 3 studio apartments. A creche is also included as part of the proposed plan. They are also seeking to construct 6 detached bungalows and 32 semi-detached two-storey dwellings, for a total of 38 new houses.
The applicant has noted on both applications that they are within the curtilage of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, which is listed as a protected structure on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
