The 14th century home to the Church of Ireland bishops of Ossory and Cashel is to be converted into offices for the Heritage Council.
This follows the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission to the national Heritage Council to convert the Bishop's Palace, Common Hall, Kilkenny (adjacent to St Canice's Cathedral) into its headquarters.
The decision will mean the 17 full-time personnel employed by the Heritage Council in Kilkenny will remain there.
A new "See House", a residence for the current Bishop of Ossory and Cashel, Dr Peter F. Barrett, will be built on the grounds at Common Hall. The new house will have its private entrance through Troy's Gate at the junction of Vicar Street and Green Street. Negotiations on the amount of money to be paid by the Heritage Council to the national Representative Church Body for the building will now start and it is expected to be in the region of €3 million.
There are 19 conditions attached to the permission which was made after an appeal by the Irish Georgian Society and others after Kilkenny Borough Council granted planning permission for the project in 2001.
They deal with archaeology issues, landscaping, the "Robing Room" and lime rendering of the two one-storey extensions.