Navan nursing home plan rejected for the second time 

ANN CASEY
Planning permission for a new Health Care Development in the Flower Hill area of Navan has been refused for the second time by Meath County Council.
An application by Elliot's Mill Care Centre for the demolition of an existing derelict mill building and the construction of a 186 bedroom care centre and 40 apartments at Elliot's Mill, Abbeylands, Navan was refused by the council last week.
The care centre building was to have been be laid out in three wings around a central full height atrium with access to a hard landscaped river front plaza which formed the original footprint of Elliot's Mill.
The refusal has been greeted with disappointment by public representatives who expressed concern at the loss of a potential 200 jobs for the town.
The reasons given for last week's refusal were that it would be a traffic hazard, that the applicant hadn't shown how impact on nearby European Habitats could be avoided, it doesn't meet the requirements regarding flood risk assessment and management, and doesn't meet ministerial guidelines on apartment floor areas.
According to Deputy Peadar Tóibín; “This was a €14 million development and it would have created 212 jobs in the town. A project like this would have made a massive economic impact in an area that is one of the worst urban dereliction black spots in the country. The former Elliot's Mill which is the proposed sight of the development is also derelict and is used to dump rubbish into the river”.
He said the development would have also significantly eased massive pressure with regards nursing home capacity in the county. “Weekly I get calls from families who are under fierce pressure trying to access location for an elderly love one. Many are now forced to bring their families significant distances to get a bed and a room for their elderly loved one.” 
“This is the second planning attempt. Each one costs massive money and investment opportunities have short windows of opportunity before an investor will start to look else where. My fear is that this dereliction black spot will remain in the disastrous state that its in and we will still be fighting for beds for older people in years to come,” said Deputy Tóibín.  
Cllr Tommy Reilly also expressed disappointment, pointing out the development would have created a lot of jobs, both in construction and when it was complete.
“I had hoped that work would have started this year on both this development and another facility across the river, but nothing seems to be happening at the moment.
“These are important gateway sites to the town that are eyesores at the moment,” he said.