Equestrian Centre refused planning for tourist chalets

Mullingar Equestrian Centre has been refused planning permission for self-catering chalet accommodation at its site on the Ballymahon Road.

In the chief executive’s order, the council said the “proposed tourist related accommodation is considered to have tenuous links to the existing adjacent equestrian centre”; it would be visible from the Royal Canal proposed Natural Heritage Area and Lough Ennell High Amenity area.

Planners reported, “these sensitive locations have not been sympathetically considered with respect to the impactful design associated with the proposed development which will adversely interfere with these visual settings”.

“In addition, facilities are not located within existing structures, or in buildings of character requiring renovation or in traditional farm buildings, though vernacular buildings are on the wider land holding.

“...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 council said.

The application submitted on July 4 is for construction of five chalet/cabin units “to facilitate the accommodation demands of visiting tourists”.

In the planning statement with the application, the design team said it is “the intention of Mullingar Equestrian Centre to sustainably develop and diversify its leisure, competition, and tourism functions in a manner that proactively responds to national and sectoral trends and priorities”. It added that not only will the provision of accommodation “support the on-going long term business strategy of the Mullingar Equestrian Centre”; Mullingar and the wider midlands region “lacks adequate tourism accommodation stock”.