Local developer withdraws application for IPAS centre in Gorey

It was the biggest talking point in Gorey for the last four days…

Planning permission was sought for an IPAS centre in Gorey, County Wexford. The application to Wexford County Council was submitted by Sean Doyle Developments LTD on February 19th.

The proprietor was planning to “change the of use from previously granted planning permission for a commercial guest-house to temporary accommodation for those seeking international protection.”

The property is located at ‘Waygood’ in Gorey town, on the Arklow Road in Gorey. This premises is directly across from The Coach House gastro-pub and in is adjacent to a local toy store business.

However, the local businessman and developer – Sean Doyle Developments – has since confirmed that he has withdrawn the application. Wicklow/Wexford TD Brian Brennan met directly with owner Sean Doyle on Monday to discuss his plans. Mr Doyle then prepared statement, which can be seen below, and it was then circulated online by Brian Brennan TD.

“We recently applied to provide Accommodation for 3 to 4 family’s, approx 18 international protection applicants and not an IPAS Centre.”

“We have since withdrawn this application for the following reason. We currently provide Staff Accommodation in this building and due to a change in circumstances we now require to continue using this property for Staff Accommodation for the foreseeable future,” Sean Doyle Developments said.

The withdrawal comes following significant backlash and opposition to the proposed change from the local community.

Concerns were raised quickly by the local Gorey community regarding the lack of services and infrastructure in the town. For example, there is an ongoing issue in the town with school places. Similarly, it is incredibly difficult to get a Doctor’s and Dentist appointment, with many having to travel to other nearby towns such as Arklow to get an appointment.

A petition was starting to create traction online, while Gorey locals were planning to protest with “Gorey Says No” signs, similar to the Arklow Says No group from February of last year. Other Gorey locals sought advice on how to directly object to the application; as it was submitted under a Section 5 Exempted Development, this would have proved more difficult. Unlike other County Council objections which cost approximately €20 and are relatively easy to do, there would have been a cost of €220 for each individual objection for this, as per an email sent by Wexford County Council detailing the process. Despite that, groups were already forming to accumulate the cost together in a bid to curtail the local developer’s plans to convert the guest house “into accommodation for those seeking international protection.”

Regarding the planning application itself, no significant details were submitted with the Sean Doyle Developments Ltd planning application. This meant that rumours started to grow quickly across the town. The number of people the accommodation could hold changed from 20 people to 200 people, depending on who you were talking to. Despite that, it does highlight a bigger issue – and that is the lack of public consultation and the lack of transparency that often comes with such IPAS applications in Ireland.

A newly appointed local councillor, Craig Doyle, had also emailed SD Group prior to the developer making his decision to withdraw the application:

“I have emailed the SD group and asked for them to have a public forum for people to discuss any issues with them about it. I have also outlined in the email that I feel wholeheartedly that in no way shape or form should this centre be put into where they’re proposing it to go. It is a key development site in the town centre of one of the busiest towns in Ireland and It is already a disadvantaged area similarly to the recent applications (which were denied) in Enniscorthy and Rosslare are not suitable to have such a facility placed in them as it would just add to the strain already on the area,” Cllr Craig Doyle said.

The withdrawal is significant in regards to opposition in Wexford in recent times. The withdrawal comes just one week after significant backlash to a planned IPAS centre in Enniscorthy, an application made by Ian Skeffington on behalf of his company Flodale Group Ltd. It led to large protests being held in the Templeshannon area of Enniscorthy town a number of days later. Similarly, after over one-year of protests in Rosslare, decided to stand down their demonstration following a key decision from An Bord Pleanála. Regarding the Rosslare property, An Bord Pleanála, ruled that the proposal for an IPAS centre at the site was indeed not exempt from development – meaning the hotel, Great Southern Hotel, could not be converted into an IPAS centre.

The planning application remains viewable online and the reference number is: EXD01152