A senior planner with Cork County Council has expressed concerns about the business proposals outlined by a large property developer to ensure a historic house at the centre of one of the developments remains properly conserved.
Nicholas Mansergh, senior planner with Cork County Council, raised his concerns about the proposal by O'Flynn Construction for Dunkettle House, Glanmire, at yesterday's Bord Pleanála hearing into the company's proposal for a 600-house development in the area.
As part of O'Flynn Construction's proposal for the Dunkettle housing development, the company has proposed a tourism/visitor-related commercial development at the historic house to support the long-term preservation of the building, which dates from the late 18th century.
The company also proposed to locate a tourist retail facility at the rear of the house, a single retail unit at the rear of the courtyard and a café in the western wing of the house, which would be opened up to the public after years in private ownership.
O'Flynn also proposed a garden centre near the house as well as an equestrian centre - all of which would attract visitors and generate revenue to help maintain the building and the demesne, which is not being developed for housing.
Among the planning permission conditions imposed by Cork County Council in May 2005 is that the commercial element in the development is permitted on the basis that it will support the future of the house and that it will be compatible with its conservation.
Mr Mansergh expressed concern yesterday about the possible fragmentation of ownership of the commercial enterprises at Dunkettle House and the difficulties that this could cause.
Trying to build a relationship or enforce a condition against several different investors/operators or management company was not "an inviting prospect".
Conservation expert John Cronin for O'Flynn Construction told the hearing that he had assessed a number of options with a view to ensuring the best method of conserving Dunkettle House and its surrounding park and woodland.
The first option was maintaining Dunkettle House for residential use and adapting all usable buildings within the immediate vicinity for residential use, but this would generate no revenue.
The second involved converting the house into a hotel and developing further accommodation nearby, while the stables could be converted into retail units.
The third option involved a number of low-intensity and compatible uses in the house including a gallery space, meeting rooms and a restaurant and unlike the second option, would not involve the radical interventions that would be required to convert it into a hotel.