'Support' for Powerscourt plan denied

The Irish Georgian Society has rejected suggestions by the Powerscourt Estate in Co Wicklow that it supports a planning application for 108 holiday homes, shops and offices in the environs of the stately home, near Enniskerry.

Yesterday, the society said it had been approached to consider the plans and had made some recommendations, but a spokesman insisted that this "did not amount to support" for the project.

The comments came as the deadline for submissions on the estate's current development plans passed yesterday.

In a letter to local councillors, dated last July, the estate had claimed "that the current development plan has been assessed, and is supported by the Irish Georgian Society".

Mr Donough Cahill of the Irish Georgian Society said, however, that the contact "was just on design features. We didn't give a commitment to support the application."

Powerscourt - designed by Richard Cassels and built in the 1730s - together with its vistas is protected in the Wicklow County Development Plan.

The house was destroyed by fire in 1974, but was restored during the 1990s under a deal with the planning authority. It specified that profits from housing development would be invested in the restoration of the house.

But it also emerged yesterday that An Taisce, which initially supported the restoration, expressed concern about the level of commercial development at the house, as well as the quality and extent of the restoration work.

Powerscourt now houses a number of upmarket clothes, furniture and gift shops, as well as a coffee shop and an exhibition on the house's history. Its ballroom is available for functions. A golf course has been developed close to the house's western front, and planning permission for a large hotel is currently under appeal.

But, while some restoration work has been carried out on the main house, correspondence from An Taisce, seen by The Irish Times, has expressed dissatisfaction with the work.

In a letter to Minister of State Mr Dick Roche, An Taisce's heritage officer, Mr Ian Lumley said: "It was always our concern that too much commercial development was being put forward, and the conditions with regard to the restoration of the house were not strong enough. What has resulted in Powerscourt has turned out to be a huge disappointment. The extent and quality of the restoration work in the house is not good enough."

An Taisce concludes that further development or extensions of the golf facilities "would be ill-advised". Mr Lumley added yesterday that original materials available - such as granite pillars- had not been used in the restoration, and what resulted was pastiche.

In its July letter to councillors, signed by Ms Sarah Slazenger, the argument is made that "the current proposal constitutes an important element of the development of the estate, which is essential in order to continue to support and maintain the house and gardens". Ms Slazenger was not available for comment over the past few days.

However, local TD and Minister of State for Europe, Mr Roche, has also criticised the plans, pointing out that the holiday homes would be "just 14 miles from Dublin" and insisting that "more restoration work on the house itself should take place first".

Mr Roche was also critical of An Taisce which he insisted had been careful to oppose housing for locals, but made a mistake in supporting Powerscourt Estate at the start.