Council vote on Monday on hospice plan

Offaly county councillors are due to vote on Monday on whether to pave the way for planning permission to be issued for the proposed new Midlands Hospice on a site at Tullamore’s Arden Lane.

The HSE is seeking permission to develop a new hospice catering for 20 inpatient beds at Arden Lane, Tullamore, complete with ancillary services, including a Day Therapy Unit and an education centre.

The councillors are to consider a proposal to materially contravene the county development plan to facilitate the planning application.

The council said the development would contravene two objectives of the Offaly County Development Plan relating to 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.”

The vote is on the agenda for the December meeting of the full council, to take place in Aras an Chontae on Monday.

The proposal must be approved by three quarters of all 19 members to be passed. Fianna Fáil has said its seven councillors will vote in favour of the material contravention.

The issue has become embroiled in a planning controversy with Offaly Hospice Foundation Ltd, while stressing its role in pushing for a regional hospice, arguing that there are better suited alternative sites in Tullamore.