Concerns over plans for block of historic city centre buildings

A series of concerns have been raised by the Department of Heritage and City Council over plans for the restoration of a block of derelict buildings on Quay Street and Quay Lane – to become a high-end retail unit for Aran sweaters.

However, the Department has voiced its objection to any plan to restore the building to an appearance as “at some notional date in history”, while the Council has ordered a redesign.

GlenAran Ltd, which is owned by the McCarthy family from Glengarriff in West Cork, bought No 25 Quay Street and numbers 2 to 5 Quay Lane at the end of 2015 for a price which auctioneers said was “significantly in excess” of its €600,000 guide price.

The McCarthys have since submitted plans to the City Council to restore and redevelop the former mill and residential buildings to use as “a high-end retail centre for the sale of GlenAran knitwear and woollen products”.

The extensive works on the buildings – all of which are Protected Structures – include:
■ The repointing and repair of all internal and external walls;
■ The installation of a new staircase, roof and medieval style ceiling;
■ A double-storey extension to the rear of No 4 and a double and single-storey extension to the rear of No 5.

The application states: “Such development will provide a viable commercial use for the existing derelict buildings, which will attract new clientele, enhanced business footfall, and visitor attraction which will in turn improve the economic viability of the lower Quay Street/Quay Lane area of the city centre.

“The structure will be renovated in terms of best conservation practice using traditional skills and materials relevant to the late medieval period and early Victorian era, taking into account any significant findings arising out of the archaeological survey of the site,” the application reads.

The Quay Lane buildings were built as a warehouse in the 17th Century, and altered to residential units in the 1830s. The Department of Heritage has expressed serious concerns about the nature of the redevelopment project.

“While the Department welcomes the proposed restoration of these buildings which have been derelict for a number of years, we are very concerned at the details of this proposed redevelopment.

“The practice of ‘restoring’ a building or structure to an appearance at some notional date in history, as is proposed to No. 25 Quay Street, is entirely contrary to internationally accepted best practice.

“On the other hand, in the case of the buildings at Numbers 2-5 Quay Lane, the original roofs of these buildings were only removed in recent years and the Dept believe there is sufficient documentary and photographic evidence to restore the roofs to the original profile.

“Yet here it is proposed to construct an entirely false ‘medieval style’ roof. In our opinion, the type of works proposed in this application would serve to confuse the evidence of the historic buildings,” the Department’s submission reads.

Meanwhile, the City Council has ordered a redesign of the proposals and further archaeological investigation of the site.

The applicants now have up to six months to submit the further information, or the plans will be deemed withdrawn.

The property was earmarked by a previous owner for a €10m bar, restaurant and upmarket hostel premises.