MULLINGAR Equestrian’s Robert Fagan says he is very disappointed a plan to build tourist accommodation at the popular centre has been refused by Westmeath County Council. It is the second time the application to build five chalet-style units totalling 425 sq m for visiting tourists has been refused.

In refusing the application, the council said: “The proposal is situated in an open expansive landscape, with expansive views to the south and has not been sympathetically considered with respect to the impactful design and siting associated with the proposed development which, it is considered, will adversely interfere with these visual settings.

“Facilities are not clustered with existing working facilities on the wider site, but expressly separated from them. The new buildings proposed, are not considered modest in scale, sensitively located or designed having regard to existing buildings, topography or the open expansive landscape to the south. The application also fails to provide adequate justification of tourism demand.”

Fáilte support

In support of the application was Fáilte Ireland, who wrote to the council stating: “The proposed development would add to the accommodation stock of this area within Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and add further diversity of accommodation options available to visitors. It is considered that the proposed development would be consistent with and support a number of objectives within a number of strategic tourism plans for the region.

“Therefore, from a tourism perspective, Fáilte Ireland is supportive of the proposed development in line with all proper planning, environmental and sustainability requirements being met.”

Missed opportunity

Speaking to The Irish Field, Fagan said he believed it was a missed opportunity to help accommodate visitors and add to the centre’s facilities.

“I’m very disappointed. It would have complimented our facilities and was part of what would have been a half a million euro spend thanks to us being provisionally accepted for a Fáilte Ireland transition scheme, with the funding subject to planning. So basically, it’s all gone now and we are down €40,000 from preparing the plans, which we took very seriously.

“We employed landscapers, planning consultants, architects, engineers, every sort of expert required, and we’re absolutely dumbfounded at what we see as the narrow-minded way our county representatives have looked at this. We don’t think that we have an entitlement, but we believe there was a very, very good case.

“The thing that really annoyed me this time was to say we didn’t show a tourism necessity. We’re 30 years in the business bringing tourists to Mullingar and there is a huge issue with accommodation in the area. It is a huge missed opportunity.

“But look, we’re going to look at our whole model now and re-evaluate everything including whether we appeal it or not, but either way we’ve missed the deadline on the funding, which is a shame. We will dust ourselves off and kick on.”