Buildings at Risk
Donaghcomper, Zone A, Co. Kildare
The Irish Georgian Society has lodged another objection against a planning proposal at Donaghcomper, Co. Kildare. This latest proposal is to construct roads and services infrastructure, which would enable inappropriate development within the grounds of the protected structure, Donaghcomper.
Applicant: Kildare County Council
Applicant’s name: Devondale Limited
Register Reference: 09665
Date Received: 12th June 2009
Description: Provision of roads and services infrastructure to facilitate the future development of an urban expansion to Celbridge town centre, set around a new urban street layout, and linked to Celbridge train bridge. The proposed street layout includes a main avenue road approximately 507 meters in length (with carriage width of 7.3 meters cycleways, verges/footpaths) etc.
The Irish Georgian Society wishes to lodge an objection to Devondale’s proposal to develop roads and services infrastructure to facilitate the expansion of Celbridge town centre. The Irish Georgian Society fully agrees with the submission made by Celbridge Action Alliance that the scheme poses a serious threat to the built heritage.
The Society notes that the proposed development adheres to the zoning. The Society, however is in agreement with the Celbridge Action Alliance’s submission which clearly details how this zoning is not in accordance with the aims and objectives of Kildare County Council’s Celbridge Development Plan 2002 or the Donaghcumper Lands/Celbridge Town Centre Action Area Plan June 2007. Rather the Society concurs that this development contravenes these plans and if granted permission will utterly compromise the Georgian town of Celbridge and its many historic buildings.
Crucially the Society considers that the scheme will compromise the approach, setting and borrowed landscape of the historic and architecturally significant Castletown House, a house which the Irish Georgian Society saved for the nation before passing ownership to the Office of Public Works.
If granted permission the road would be a highly intrusive element in a sensitive location especially as viewed from the avenue of Castletown House. The proposed development would seriously compromise the architecturally and historically significant relationship and interconnection between the Castletown Gates and Celbridge’s main street. In addition to the road’s impact on Castletown House, the road will impact on the rear of Celbridge’s historic main street.
Furthermore the proposals to insert three access points along the Dublin Road would result in the demolition of significant elements of the existing demesne boundary wall of Donaghcumper. Donaghcumper is a protected structure and as such the boundary wall is also deemed protected.
The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government’s Architectural Heritage Protection: Guidelines for Planning Authorities states that ‘the features used to define the boundaries of protected structure can often make an important contribution to the quality and character of the building and the surrounding streetscape or landscape’ (13.4.1) and also states that ‘proposals to remove or alter boundary features could adversely affect the character of the protected structure and the designed landscape around it.’ (13.4.3)
Donaghcumper’s stone boundary wall is not only a significant feature of the house itself but crucially contributes greatly to the approach to the historic village of Celbridge. The demolition of the most of the wall coupled with the widening of the existing road and the removal of mature trees would result in drastically alter the existing approach to Celbridge.
Furthermore the future development proposals as outlined in the Masterplan accompanying the application, threaten to be even more intrusive, on account of their scale being completely at variance with the existing Georgian streetscape of Celbridge town and its many protected structures to include Kildrought House, the Parochial House and Round House.
In conclusion the Irish Georgian Society urges Kildare County Council to refuse permission for this current planning application, which in itself will have a negative impact on Casteltown House, Donaghcumper Demesne and the historic Georgian town of Cebridge and its many protected structures. Furthermore the Society respectfully reminds Kildare County Council that if permission is granted for the current proposal it will enable future development within Donaghcumper Demesne, which will further undermine the character of this protected structure, as well as the built heritage of Celbridge town and Castletown House.
Emmeline Henderson
IGS Assistant Director & Conservation Manager
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