The future of Cork's historic Brookfield House looks bleak, as UCC discusses plans to redevelop its site.

The late-19th century house was acquired by UCC in 1997 for about £3 million. A student newspaper, the University Examiner, reports that college authorities are keen to develop it for academic-related purposes. This would require radical changes to the site, including, probably, the complete demolition of the house.

The house is rich in local history, having connections with some of the oldest and richest families in Cork. Built in the 1880s, it is unusual in being built with London fire bricks, especially imported from England, and with steel used in the internal walls, doors and staircases. The reason for the unusual materials is understood to be that the lady of the house possessed an extreme fear of being burned to death; this also explains the lead roof, designed to hold enough water to extinguish any fire.

In July 1999, UCC submitted a planning application to Cork Corporation for a temporary car park - which also involved seeking permission for the demolition of the house. In a document submitted to the planning authorities, consultants for the university stated that the building was not of sufficient architectural quality to merit its preservation, was unsuitable for academic or academic-related uses and would best be demolished.

The proposal was objected to by several parties. One of these, Lancefort Ltd, a company of conservationists, stated in its objection to UCC's application that there was "no tenable argument" for the demolition. Although Brookfield House is not listed for architectural preservation, Lancefort stated, "this is not a comment on the architectural merit of the building, but an indictment of the inadequacy of the current Cork City Development Plan in listing and protecting the historic fabric of the city".

The planning application was withdrawn later in 1999, but a UCC spokesperson confirmed last week that the Brookfield site, which can be linked to a nearby greyhound track, forms a new part in the emerging physical-development plan for the university.

"Any development of the site will take care to protect the landscape of the site, but it is hoped to demolish the house to make way for academic-related development," the spokesperson said. It will be some months before any application can be made, but Corkonian fans of fireproof fin de siecle architecture would be advised to make the most of Brookfield while they can.