A developer has demolished a 19th-century convent in Terenure, south Dublin, even though it was under consideration for addition to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS).
The convent was part of a three-acre site on Terenure Road West sold by the Presentation Sisters last April for reportedly over €15 million. At a council meeting on October 18th last, councillors passed a motion, proposed by John Gallagher (Labour), that the process of having the convent added to the list of protected structures be initiated.
At 7am last Saturday, workers employed by the developer began to bulldoze the convent.
A council official arrived at 9.30am; however, a spokesman for the council said by this time the building was almost completely demolished. The remaining structure was considered dangerous and the official ordered that it also be demolished. Enforcement officers from the council's planning department are currently investigating the case. They carried out site inspections on Tuesday and Wednesday this week and the council is considering what action to take in the matter.
The building was not on the RPS, as an assessment of its merits had yet to be carried out by council officials. However, once the process of placing a building on the RPS has been initiated, the building cannot be demolished until the process has been completed. The council said last night it did not know whether the developer had been informed that the convent was under consideration for inclusion on the RPS. Even if a building is not on the RPS, if it is deemed habitable by the council it cannot be demolished without its permission. The council said it had no record of the developer seeking this permission.
Local Labour TD Mary Upton said there was no evidence that proper planning permission was in place to demolish the convent.
A spokesman for the developer was not available for comment.
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