Protected building status blocking housing development in Claremorris, claims councillor

THE development of housing in Claremorris is being stopped by a prominent local building being listed as a protected structure, a meeting of Mayo County Council has been told.

Local representative Richard Finn has called for the removal of the old Bank Corner on Lower James Street from the register of protected buildings so it can be developed into housing.

Those seeking to carry out works on listed buildings must adhere to strict planning regulations.

In the current Mayo County Development Plan there are 271 properties of architectural and historic significance listed as protected structures.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, Cllr Finn said the community of Claremorris were ‘totally embarrassed’ at the state of the building on Lower James Street, which has been vacant for several years.

The Independent councillor explained that the developer had intended to develop 28 apartments at the site but revised the figure to 17 units due to planning constraints.

The Mayo County Development Plan describes the building as a late Victorian Town House dating back to 1890.

“A developer is not going to develop anything unless there’s bounty in it for the developer,” said Cllr Finn. “They are not going in there as a charitable organisation.”

Cllr Finn complained that the site owner was now liable for the Derelict Sites Levy despite wanting to develop the property.

Cllr Finn was supported by Cllr Patsy O’Brien, who said the building’s protected status was ‘knocking somebody that’s trying to do good for the town’.

Ballinrobe-based councillor Damien Ryan also called for the building to be de-listed as a protected structure, stating that it was of ‘no architectural significance’.

The Fianna Fáil councillor described the building as ‘a blight on the townscape’ and said the entire list of protected structures in Mayo needed to be revised.

Cllr Michael Burke said that there were listed buildings around the country that developers would not touch due to the prohibitive costs and regulations associated with developing them

“There are some properties on this list that shouldn’t be on it. Likewise, there’s properties around this county, that should be on it that aren’t on it” said the Fine Gael councillor.

Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, said it was ‘not fair’ to suggest that the listed status was prohibiting any development at the site in Claremorris.

Mr Kelly said there were ‘other issues’ with the site that would not be solved by removing its protected status.

The building is listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as ‘being of regional rating with artistic and architectural categories of special interest’.

Mr Kelly report would be prepared regarding the building’s protected status and the impact it would have on any development of the site.

“We all want to see that site redeveloped, but it has to be developed in an appropriate, way to the appropriate standard and meeting the appropriate requirements,” he said.