AN Taisce has welcomed a Galway Corporation decision to refuse planning permission for a development at Rahoon House one of the city's most historic houses.
It is one of Galway's few free standing Georgian houses, although it is now surrounded by a partially completed housing development which puts it in an incongruous setting.
It was formerly the home of Richard Joyce, a renowned goldsmith who worked there between 1691 and 1737. The Joyce family were the first to manufacture Claddagh rings.
Lasts week, the corporation rejected an application by Kenny Developments and Co Ltd to convert the house into four duplex apartments and townhouses.
It said the proposed works included extensions, balconies and dormer windows "which are out of character with the clearly defined features of this building".
The corporation also refused permission for a number of associated townhouses, an access road and a car park. Because of its "major historical significance", these developments "would be totally out of keeping with Rahoon House and seriously detract from its setting", it said.
Prof Emer Colleran, chairwoman of An Taisce's Galway branch, described the corporation's decision as "one of their better ones for a long time". She called on the corporation and public and private organisations in the city to cooperate to acquire and restore the property.
Earlier this year, An Taisce criticised the development of 49 houses and 19 apartments on land immediately surrounding Rahoon House. Planning permission for the new estate, which is called Ros Geal, was granted on condition that it would not proceed until a plan for the refurbishment of Rahoon House had been agreed with the corporation.
Work on the estate began, however, and it is now at an advanced stage. When The Irish Times visited the site last week, the majority of the houses were roofed and at least one was marked sold.
According to the Galway Civic Trust, this building work has had an adverse impact on Rahoon House. In a letter to the corporation, the trust expressed its concern about the proposed division of the house into apartments.
"We are also concerned that a number of healthy trees appear to have been removed from the environs of the house without reason.
"Having visited the building recently, we were very disappointed to see the treatment it was receiving at present, with, for example, concrete being mixed in the main hallway of the house, and fireplaces having been ripped out," the trust said.
Despite repeated requests on Thursday and Friday, Kenny Developments was unable to provide a spokesman to comment on the planning decision or on the criticisms about the use to which the house has been put in recent months. It is expected however, that the company will appeal to An Bord Pleanala.
In a letter to the corporation last month, the developer said the house was formerly used as an office for a pitch and putt course and a horticultural nursery.
"Our usage as a temporary site office was a permitted use, according to our consultants. In any event, even though we own and are repaying a loan on Rahoon House, we have decided to vacate the property as a temporary office and the caretaker has left his residence in the house."