Frank McDonald, Environment Editor
The Irish Times
23.10.03
A decision by Trim Town Council to approve plans for a four-storey
hotel directly opposite Trim Castle, Ireland's largest and most
important medieval fortification, has been appealed to An Bord
Pleanála.
However, the Heritage Service is not a party to the appeal despite its
serious concerns about the "adverse and unacceptable" impact of the
proposed 58-bedroom hotel on the castle's setting.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, declined to accept a
recommendation from Heritage officials that an appeal should be lodged,
saying he was satisfied that the scheme had been revised to mitigate
its impact.
The Heritage Service, which operates under the wing of the Department
of the Environment, pointed out in letters to Meath County Council that
Trim Castle is a national monument of international significance.
"The scale and bulk of the design is, in our opinion, inappropriate in
this highly sensitive location", it said. Even with revisions, which
included "pulling back" the top floor, the scheme was still seen as
unacceptable.
It expressed particular concern about a corner element, four storeys
high, which would be higher than the medieval curtain wall of the
castle and considerably higher than a protected terrace of estate
cottages on Castle Street.
The Heritage Service, formerly known as Dúchas, urged the town
council's planners to ensure that the proposed hotel "does not
negatively impact \, or detract from, the visual appreciation of Trim
Castle."
Its final letter sought a copy of the council's decision "as soon as it
issues", presumably with a view to considering an appeal. But the only
appeal lodged came from third-party objectors, including a local
councillor.
The appeal was made by Mr Dermot Kelly, a senior planning inspector
with An Bord Pleanála, who is acting in his private capacity in this
case. Though he now lives in Bray, Co Wicklow, Mr Kelly is a native of
Trim.
Cllr Philip Cantwell (Ind) described the hotel proposed by David
O'Brien Development Ltd as "absolutely horrendous" and queried why the
Heritage Service's concerns were not mentioned in the council's
planning report.
The planner, Mr Aidan Collins, said the principle of building a hotel
on the commercially-zoned site was to be welcomed and the revised
design by Trim-based architects Christopher Flynn and Associates was
one of "high quality".
Commenting on the appeal yesterday, Mr Flynn said he believed it was
"grossly unfair". He was not prepared to release photo-montages until
An Bord Pleanála had considered the developer's response to the points
raised.
But the appellants, including Prof Anngret Simms of UCD, who has mapped
medieval towns for the Royal Irish Academy, insist that the development
would still be "grossly over-scaled" in relation to its setting.
A spokesman for the Minister for the Environment denied that the
Heritage Service had been "nobbled" in the exercise of its functions.
He said Mr Cullen had considered its views before deciding not to lodge
an appeal.
"On the contentious issue of the size and scale of the hotel, the
Minister asked that it be scaled back and this was done to our
satisfaction", the spokesman said.
The 1.3-acre site was acquired from the Sisters of Mercy by Trim Town
Council in 1996 for £42,250 with the intention of providing a car-park
for the people of Trim.
The council agreed to sell it to David O'Brien Development Ltd after a
competitive tender, which included consideration of schemes. Despite
its proximity to Trim Castle, the hotel proposal was selected as the
best.