Future of Midlands Hospice plan to be decided by councillors

Offaly county councillors are to be asked to pave the way for planning permission for the construction of a new Midlands Hospice on a site in Arden Lane in Tullamore.

In an advertisement placed in the national print media last week, the local authority gave notice that it intended to consider granting planning permission for the project.

However, it noted that the proposed development constitutes a material contravention of the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027. It granted an additional four weeks to members of the public to make submissions or observations on a proposal to contravene the plan to enable the development proceed.

A material contravention arises when a planning application is made to a local authority which breaches the objectives of their own county development plan. The decision to either grant or refuse planning permission for any such project lies with the elected members and is classified as a reserved function.

The land on Arden Lane earmarked for the site of the proposed Midlands Hospice is zoned as “Open space, Recreation and Amenity” and according to last week's national newspaper advertisement the development would contravene materially two objectives of the Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 relating to issues including land use zoning, land use matrix and the protection and improvement of the “provision, attractiveness, accessibility and amenity value of public open space, amenity and recreation.”

Any submissions or observations that members of the public wish to make to the council with regard to the making of a decision to grant permission must be received within four weeks from November 6.

The matter is then expected to come before a full council meeting.

A decision on the project is due to be made by Offaly County Council by New Year's Day, January 1, 2026.