Developers demolished most of listed house

The development company behind a new apartment and office complex on the site of the former St Anne's Hospital on Northbrook Road, Dublin, has acknowledged it substantially demolished a listed house on an adjacent terrace.

The company, Park Developments, through its project architect, said yesterday it was in discussions with Dublin Corporation on plans to demolish further houses on the listed terrace which it says are unstable. It is intended to retain the facades.

Dublin Corporation was unable to confirm the discussions, however, and in a statement yesterday said it had launched an investigation into the demolition of the house, number seven, Northbrook Road.

Yesterday the corporation said it had sent a planning inspector to the site to ascertain whether all development works were in compliance with planning permission. The corporation confirmed the house was a protected structure.

Number seven was one of a number of terraced houses which were part of the former St Anne's Hospital complex. It was connected to the main hospital by a link building which was also demolished recently, in accordance with the planning permission.

An Bord Pleanala granted Park Developments permission to construct an apartment and office development on the former hospital site last January. However, while the board approved some demolition, the permission stated the listed terrace buildings were to be renovated and retained.

Mr James Pike of O'Mahony Pike Architects said yesterday that following demolition of the link building, number seven was found to be unstable. Mr Pike said the terrace had been "knocked about a lot" when in use by the hospital and had to be substantially demolished. The facade of the building was left standing.

Mr Pike said it had also been established that the other houses in the terrace were structurally unsound and the company would be seeking to retain the facades but to demolish and replace the remainders of the buildings. He said the company was intending to faithfully replace the existing houses, adding that "the neighbours won't see anything that wouldn't have been there if the whole of the houses could have been retained".

A member of the Upper Leeson Street Residents' Association, Ms Rosemary Mulcahy, said little was left of the structure of the house and she did not think it would be possible to reinstate the building using original features.

Ms Valerin Yeaton of An Taisce said it was disappointing that "yet again" the law had failed to protect listed structures and she called on the corporation to use its enforcement procedures.