Rejection of renovation plan criticised

The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, has appealed to An Bord Pleanála to overrule a decision by a town council to refuse planning permission to renovate a listed church building in west Clare.

The people of Kilrush, led by their parish priest, Father Michael Sheedy, have raised €1.5 million over the past four years for the renovation of St Senan's Church, which was built in 1840.

However, Kilrush Town Council has refused planning permission for the proposed renovations, which includes alterations to the altar area, a new baptistry and underfloor heating. The council said that the renovation plan "would materially affect the protected structure and contravene the Kilrush Development Plan".

St Senan's Church is described as a building of "national importance" in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

In his letter to An Bord Pleanála, Bishop Walsh said it was vital that the building be renovated in the manner proposed. He pointed out that he had established a committee to advise on historic churches, adding: "At no time in the process did the town council or its agents seek to meet or consult with me or with that committee. "Father Sheedy said yesterday that he was disappointed at the decision and was seeking a Bord Pleanála oral hearing. Members of Kilrush Town Council have also sent a letter to the board in support of the parish priest's request.

Father Sheedy's appeal states: "The sad reality is that the value of the local support, reflected in the considerable building fund raised by voluntary donations, has been seriously eroded by inflation as a result of the considerable delays caused in the efforts to gain council support."

Kilrush's mayor, Cllr Tom Prenderville, said that the decision had provoked "a lot of anger and frustration".

In a separate submission in support of the appeal, architect Mr Michael Leahy, a member of the diocese's historic churches advisory committee, said that it was disheartening for the parish to have its efforts to organise its religious affairs rejected by the town council. "This rejection appears to be based on inadequate knowledge of the process of renovation of historic buildings and an inadequate knowledge of liturgical requirements, and it seems to be founded on bureaucratic expediency rather than scholarship."

A decision from An Bord Pleanála is expected in May.