Plans for Cork B&B earmarked for emergency shelter being reviewed

CORK County Council has confirmed that its planning department is currently reviewing the planning status of a former North Cork B&B that is due to become an accommodation centre for families seeking international protection.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth had initially intended that Abbeyville House in Fermoy would be used to provide emergency shelter for 56 single men, but in February it announced that the centre would now accommodate families and children.

A group calling itself ‘Save Abbeyville House’, which objects to the building’s planned use as emergency shelter for asylum seekers, has raised issues relating to the planning process surrounding the building’s change in use from a private residential property to an emergency accommodation centre.

In a press release, the group claimed that when Abbeyville House was sold in October 2023 for €925,000, its new owner, Drakeford Limited, paid residential stamp duty of 1% on the purchase.

“Abbeyville House is not subject to Cork County Council rates, and no part of the property was sold attracting a 7.5% commercial stamp duty rate … Therefore … Abbeyville House is a private residential house rather than a commercial property,” the group said. “The conversion of this family home to a 56-bed hostel is unambiguously a non-exempted material change in the original use of the building and therefore requires planning permission.” 

Reviewing

Responding, Cork County Council told The Echo: “Cork County Council can confirm that the planning department is currently reviewing this matter.

“Regarding rates, the property had not been previously rateable as it was deemed a domestic property; it will be rateable when used as an accommodation centre”.

The council added that when the property is confirmed as an accommodation centre by the Department of Integration, “Cork County Council will issue a rates bill once the property has been valued by Tailte Éireann [the State agency responsible for property registration].”

Questioned

The group has also questioned the building’s fire and disability access certification status. The council said that “as the building was in use as a guesthouse prior to the introduction of the Building Regulations in 1992, a Fire Safety Certificate and Disability Access Certificate under the Building Control Act would not appear to apply”.

However, in a document to elected representatives dated February 14, the Department of Integration said: “A valid fire cert is in place and has been provided to the department. All supporting fire and insurance documentation has been received.”

The department did not immediately respond to queries about the disability access certification status. The owners were contacted for comment.