Developers say there is “dire need” for rehab centre in Midlands

The development company planning to convert the former convent in Kilcormac into a rehabilitation centre have submitted “significant further information” to Offaly County Council in a bid to advance the project.

In their response to a request for further information from the council, Serenity Homes Ltd., said there is “a dire need for a suitable location for a rehab centre in the Midlands due to the lack of an existing facility in the region” and said the former convent is “ideally suited” for such a centre as it was already used as a residential facility and has an enclosed garden and open space to the rear.

The plans for a rehab centre in Kilcormac, which were first unveiled in August of last year when Serenity Homes Ltd, submitted a planning application to Offaly County Council, met with strong opposition from local people and public representatives, a number of whom lodged objections with the council.

The local authority sought further information from the developers in October, and raised a number of concerns, including “serious concerns” about the lack of engagement with the local community. They also sought further information about traffic management, lighting, signage, and the types of services to be offered to clients in the facility.

In a 69-page response sent to the council on November 19 last, Serenity Homes Ltd, stated that the facility would be an “alcohol and drug treatment centre for adult males and females” and would consist of a 30 day/12-step residential rehabilitation programme. It further stated that the building would be operated “as a normal household” and that those undertaking the treatment programme would be dropped to the centre at the beginning of their treatment and collected at the end of it.

They also said Kilcormac convent was for sale “for a long period of time” and that no local enterprise had expressed an interest in taking over the property. They also added that it was a suitable location for a number of reasons, including its size, the fact that it had already been used as a residential facility, its central location in the county, and the fact that it had an enclosed garden and ample space to the rear.

With regard to community engagement, Serenity Homes Ltd. said its first undertaking after identifying “the lovely Convent building” was to invite local people and councillors in Kilcormac to meet with them.

They outlined how they had met with five councillors in August 2020, and had met with a representative of the residents on Main Street the following month. “We were assured that the concerns that were raised were addressed and that the residents that were represented were happy with the outcome,” they stated.

In a further response from the developers on December 22, totalling 63 pages, the developers addressed concerns raised by the council in relation to the former Convent building, which is a listed property.

This response was accompanied by an Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment carried out by Conservation Consultant, Áine Doyle, who inspected and photographed the site on December 12 last.

The councll was told that no works would be carried out to the façade of the listed building and that all the existing windows and doors would be retained. It was also stated that there would be an average of 10 cars per day on the premises and one lorry which would indicate “a lightly trafficked use of the property, relative to its previous use as a convent school.”

The developers also stated that there would be no advertising signage on the building.