Planning Regulator complaint lodged over Moynalvey IPAS accommodation centre
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An aerial view of the Colleglands site that is used for IPAS accommodation.Image 2 of 2
February 2024 when a meeting was called to provide information to the Moynalvey community in relation to the proposed provision of IPAS accommodation at the former Doreys Forge pub in the village. Photo: David Mullen. David MullenA COMPLAINT has been made to the Office of the Planning Regulator against Meath County Council's handling of planning matters around the Collegelands Forge property in Moynalvey and its use as an accommodation centre for international protection applicants.
Collegelands Forge, formerly known as Dorey's Forge and the Shanks Mare pub, at Collegelands and Arodstown, near Summerhill, was approved as an IPAS Centre in February of last year.
Local residents have claimed that the development is in breach of the conditions attached to the planning permission and is therefore an unauthorised development and have been calling on Meath County Council to take action in correspondence over the past year.
A complaint has recently been lodged with the Office of the Planning Regulator claiming Meath County Council has breached its obligation to carry out its planning functions in accordance with legislation and/or national policy.
Solicitor Robert Dore submitted the complaint on behalf of Collegelands Locality Residents Association, made up of approximately 70 households in the Arodstown/Moynalvey areas of County Meath “all of whom are extremely concerned at the unauthorised and unlawful development that has been allowed to take place”.
It states that on the client's behalf, he has engaged in extensive correspondence with Meath County Council since March of 2024 and invited the planning regulator to peruse copies that were furnished with the complaint.
“The members of my client are deeply frustrated and indeed shocked at Meath County Council's abject failure to address the myriad of issues raised, its failure to meaningfully address expert reports that have been furnished and its abject failure to act upon a submission form re: unauthorised development which we have submitted to thus flouting its statutory obligation to act upon such a notice.”
It claims Meath County Council has “simply stood by and permitted unlawful, unauthorised developments generating massive profit for those behind these developments without any recognition of due process”.
The submission claims that there has been regular and repeated breaches of Meath County Council's obligation to carry out its planning functions in accordance with legislation and/or national policy requirements and accuses the overall organisation and its systems and procedures it uses when carrying out its planning functions as being “hopelessly deficient”.
On behalf of my client, I wish to make a formal complaint against the manner in which Meath County Council has conducted itself and I request your urgent intervention in terms of your own remit,” the submission concludes.
A spokesperson for Meath County Council said: “Meath County Council is aware that a complaint has been made to the Office of the Planning Regulator. The Council is unable to comment further at this stage.”