An Bord Pleanála grants go-ahead for works to 280 year old building

A 280-year-old building on Mullingar’s main street, together with a coach house to the rear of the property, can be converted to living accommodation and office space, An Bord Pleanála has ruled.

The application to develop Nos 8-10 Oliver Plunkett Street had been approved by Westmeath County Council, but was referred to An Bord Pleanála after an objection by nearby resident Des Walsh, of 14 Oliver Plunkett Street, Mullingar.

Submitted by Stephen Lynn Property Ltd, care of MORE Architecture Limited of Unit 12, Castle House, Castle Street, Mullingar, the application was for a mixed-use development consisting of the refurbishment of an existing vacant residence, commercial unit and a vacant coach house – all of which are listed as protected.

For access purposes, an existing entrance gate off Downes Lane is required. Downes Lane is off Bishopsgate Street, and leads to the rear of the site.

The intention was to create eight residential units and office space, and a revised application reduced this to six but the grant of permission by An Bord Pleanála has reduced this further to five residences. The grant of permission is subject to 17 conditions.

The objection by Mr Walsh was on the grounds that the council owns land on Downes Lane, and that on foot of a recent Part 8 application, four units were permitted there and that there were double yellow lines in front of the council’s land and that land is opposite a school and a church entrance.

The objection also claimed that no regard was had to Mr Walsh’s requirement for 24-hour, 7-day-a-week ordinary and emergency access to the back of his property by the right of way.

Mr Walsh also expressed a concern that the lack of onsite parking could result in parking on Downes Lane and on the right of way serving his property. Further concerns related to adequacy of services; compliance with relevant codes; and, potential to adversely impact on established residential amenity.

According to the report of the Bord Pleanála inspector who visited the site, publicly available information dates the building to around 1750.

“It also forms part of a larger group of similar in date and similarly protected period buildings that form part of a period streetscape setting that is afforded protection by way of being designated an Architectural Conservation Area,” the inspector wrote.

The inspector said it was “a substantive concern” that the building is currently vacant, and opined that its vacant and unkempt appearance detracted from this vibrancy and vitality of Oliver Plunkett Street. In her view, she said, the “sensitive repair and conservation works” proposed were generally acceptable.

“Securing a building-sensitive and sympathetic viable new use for this protected structure is not just essential for safeguarding and conserving this building into the future, but it is also important to the visual amenities and qualities of its streetscape,” the inspector wrote.

However, the inspector had serious concern over the size of the eight proposed apartments, saying that with the exception of one apartment, they appeared to “just meet the minimum requirements” for studio and one-bedroom spaces.

In a second report, after the applicant revised the number of residential units to six, the inspector said she had ongoing concerns relating to the building façade and that she felt no works should be permitted until such time as accurately detailed existing and structure sensitive principal façades were provided for consideration.

Commenting on Downes Lane, the inspector said she felt it was “not unreasonable” that Mr Walsh was worried that right of way and vehicle access to his property could be diminished due to an increase in the intensity of use of the lane. On that basis she was recommending the reduction in apartment numbers to five.