Louth County Council plans for Women's Aid Centre in Dundalk approved
Dundalk Municipal District March meeting
Louth councillors at the Dundalk Municipal District March meeting, approved Louth County Council's Part 8 application for permission to carry out the development of the Women's Aid Centre at Highfield on the Newry Road in Dundalk.
The development will comprise 12 two-storey short stay accommodation units, with two of the units to provide disable use, and all associated/ancillary works on lands at Highfield. It includes the demolition of an existing rear extension at Highfield House and a garage; internal alterations at ground and first floors to provide staff offices, kitchen facilities, client activity rooms, night staff bedroom, and a new extension.
It will include "The Hub" to provide a family access unit, youth and child support unit, staff offices, meeting rooms and ancillary services. Block 1 of the proposed development will include the construction of eight terraced two-storey, two-bedroom, short stay accommodation units; and Block 2 will comprise a two-storey building with three one-bedroom short stay apartments and one two-bedroom short stay apartment.
The development will also include a new vehicular and pedestrian entrance, and other items including internal roadways, footpaths, 12 car park spaces, landscaping and all other associated site works.
CEO of Dundalk Women's Aid, Ms Ann Larkin, along with her team, were welcomed as guests to the March meeting, which took place in the town hall in Dundalk.
Councillors at the March meeting were told by Director of Services, Social Development, Mr Ger Murphy, that the development forms part of the strategic planning for the next number of years by the Department of Justice and Cuan, a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
Several councillors at the March meeting spoke, commending the plans, including Cllr Maeve Yore, Cllr Emma Coffey, Cllr Marianne Butler, and Cllr Kevin Meenan, as well as the work done by Women's Aid in Dundalk, with the proposals being approved by all.