Powerscourt plan rejected on appeal

An Bord Pleanála has overturned planning permission granted to Wicklow County Council to Powerscourt Demesne in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow to build over 100 tourist accommodation units, shops, restaurants and offices on a 10-acre site.

The proposal for 108 tourist accommodation townhouses and apartments in new, infill and refurbished buildings, two linked basement car-parks with 170 spaces, six shops, three restaurants, offices and a crèche in three separate areas on a 10-acre site was refused permission by the planning board because it would affect the historic character of the farmyard and courtyard areas of the demesne. In its ruling, it said the underground car-park and associated access road and the scale, bulk and design of the new insert buildings "would detract from and materially adversely affect the architectural integrity of the protected structure, its character, curtilage and setting, and would seriously injure the visual amenity of the area".

It said the proposed development in the orchard area of the site "would constitute an excessive extension of the built-up area within the curtilage of Powerscourt House, would be visually prominent and obtrusive when viewed from within and outside Powerscourt Demesne".

Two parties appealed the decision of Wicklow County Council to grant permission for the development. In their appeal, Dennis Latimer and Yanny Petters said the proposed development would have a negative impact on the protected view of Powerscourt House and Charleville House from Rocky Valley Drive.

It said that, while it has been the Powerscourt Estate's rationale that development is necessary to provide funds for the full restoration of the house, this restoration "has been unsatisfactory and incomplete which has been criticised by An Taisce and the Irish Georgian Society". In its appeal, An Taisce argued that the range of development proposed in 1991 "no longer applies as those carried out, particularly in the main house to date, have been poor and the ecological management standards of woodlands disappointing".

It said that some small scale development "including the conversion and use of all of the existing buildings would be appropriate" but it did not consider the scale of the proposed development justified.