Council turn down EROC expansion plans
The former Abbeyfield Hotel in Ballaghaderreen, which is now an Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre for Syrian refugees.
Plans to expand the Ballaghaderreen Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC) have been turned down by Roscommon County Council.
Next Week & Co Ltd had been seeking planning permission for the construction of a two storey extension to the EROC to provide additional accommodation along with a single storey corridor link to the existing building.
According to the planning documents, the new accommodation would have comprised 18 new bedrooms to cater for another 120 refugees in addition to the 192 people already there.
The application was also seeking the development of a general purpose room, an astro turf pitch and a play area at the site.
The refugee centre at the former Abbeyfield Hotel on the Sligo Road has been in operation since 2017.
The decision to refuse the proposed expansion was welcomed by local Sinn Fein TD Claire Kerrane who described it “as the right decision”.
A decision on the application, which was submitted on December 23rd 2024, was originally due on February 25th before the local authority sought further information from Next Week & Co Ltd.
A number of submissions opposing the development had already been received by the council.
