An Bord Pleanala has overturned a decision by Westmeath County Council granting permission for the relocation of the Family Resource Centre to a former residential home in Athlone's Battery Heights.
The original resource centre in the same area had to be closed last November after anti-social behaviour.
The council granted planning for the move last year despite an objection by planning officials.
An Bord Pleanala has now refused it despite a recommendation to allow the relocation from their own inspector.
Local Councillor Aengus O' Rourke who's Chairman of the centre has revealed the board had begun looking at an alternative site when the issue was appealed to Bord Pleanala.
He says that between that and the Covid-19 outbreak, they moved quickly to find a solution and will be moving to an entirely new site in the coming weeks:
