‘Flawed’ convent on Taylor’s Hill set to be demolished

Structural problems and design flaws are so bad in the convent on Taylor’s Hill – built just 13 years ago – that it is to be demolished and a smaller one built from scratch.

Following a legal dispute, the Congregation of Dominican Sisters was awarded damages, and has decided to build a new convent rather than strip the existing building to a shell.

They have now sought planning permission to demolish the three-storey building and to construct a single-storey convent measuring 850 square metres. They have also sought outline permission for three houses to the west of the convent.

It is planned to build the new convent (on a site to the north), for the nuns to move, and the existing convent to be demolished.

The cost of the works were estimated to be in the region of €8.4 million when the Dominican Sisters sued architects O’Connor, Keogh, Mulcaire and engineers HGL O’Connor, as well as builders TBD Building Contractors and TBD Group Holdings – all Galway companies.

As it stands, the convent is in contravention of several elements of the Building Regulations including fire safety and electrical systems.

The existing three-storey convent was completed in 2000, to provide accommodation for between 20 and 30 nuns, and specifically designed for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility. Fourteen nuns live there.

However, it emerged that corridors, entrance halls and en suite bathroom doorways were not wide enough for wheelchair access – a key requirement at the design stage.

There were also serious issues with heat loss, condensation, water ingress, ventilation and windows which were incorrectly installed and which did not open properly.

Cracks and faulty lighting were immediately apparent when the nuns moved into the convent and by 2003, serious structural defects were discovered.

Remedial works were carried out in 2007, but the matter led to a legal dispute.

Among the litany of problems uncovered were: corridors not wide enough; lack of disability access to bathrooms and bedrooms; a step which contravened the idea of ‘universal access’ and entrance lobby that cannot be used by those with a disability.

The engineers uncovered structural issues, fire safety issues, problems with the electrical and mechanical systems, heat loss and condensation.

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