An Coimisiún Pleanála reviewing use of Mearescourt House

An Coimisiún Pleanála has been asked to determine if a change of use from bed and breakfast to housing for asylum seekers is a development or if it is exempt from planning permission.

Westmeath County Council planners have referred the case to the national planning authority.

An Coimisiún Pleanála are to consider whether the current use of the site for the purposes of providing temporary protection to displaced persons does not require planning permission. It relates to the proposed change of use of Mearescourt House to use as accommodation for protected persons is or is not development or is or is not exempt.

Mearescourt House is owned by the former property developer George Tracey. The case type is “referral”. Referrals are planning matters from local authority planners to An Bord Pleanala for a formal decision, often after their initial assessment. These cases typically involve questions about whether a development is considered "development" or "exempted development" under the Planning and Development Acts.

The application was lodged on June 5, and the planning authority say it is due to be decided by October 8, 202. The sole notice party is Westmeath County Council (as the planning authority referrer). Mearescourt House is a Palladian country house, built around 1760, and possibly incorporates the remains of earlier buildings, including a Medieval tower house.

It was bought by its current owner in 2002 for €2M and has been operated as a guesthouse for a number of years.

A 2023 Dáil question by Social Democrats TD, Gary Gannon, indicated that it was one of 20 Westmeath properties housing Ukrainian refugees or other international protection applicants in the previous twelve months.