An Taisce urges action as calls grow for historic Longford Manor to become public amenity

CALLS for the future of Carrigglas Manor to be secured through its restoration and potential acquisition as a public amenity have intensified, as concerns over the historic estate's deteriorating condition and a proposed forestry development were aired at a second public meeting.

The meeting held on Thursday in Cullyfad Community Centre heard locals express frustration over the Manor’s condition.

Speaking at the outset of the meeting, Tiernan Dolan said: “Regarding the €100 million mentioned by a local senator to restore the manor, we contacted the OPW for confirmation of that figure and they were totally unaware of it.”

He added that Glennon Brothers Investment Ltd’s forestry application is still not live on the Department website “so we're not in a position to make a submission.

“Just last Thursday, a number of council officials met reps from Glennon’s at Carrigglas regarding the substantial groundworks that have taken place. The council officials accepted that they were merely replacing the topsoil from the golf course. We don't accept this explanation. It needs to be further and properly investigated,” said Mr Dolan.

An email from Glennon’s declining the invitation to attend was also read out at the meeting. “We are unable to be represented at the meeting this evening. As previously indicated, Glennon Brothers recognise the architectural, historic, and local significance of Carrigglas Estate and are committed to its long-term conservation and stewardship. To support this objective, we have engaged conservation architects Sheridan Woods Architects and have been working closely with Longford County Council on the preparation of a conservation management plan.

“This plan provides a framework to guide the conservation management and the future care of the estate over the short, medium, and long term. A licence has been granted by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to undertake native woodland restoration works following engagement with the department, and our forestation application has also been submitted and provides an opportunity for members of the public to make observations through the statutory process. The future conservation and management of Carrigglas is being advanced through a structured process involving specialist professional advice, consultation with the relevant public authorities, and compliance with all statutory requirements. Glenham Brothers remain committed to working constructively to secure the long-term protection and sustainability of the important historic estate.”

Ian Lumley from An Taisce commented:

“There is a national inventory of architectural heritage so that the Gandon Gateway, the Dublin Gate, the two yards, and the manor house are of national importance, and whereas most buildings in the country are of regional importance.

He explained that Carrigglas is of “huge nature conservation value” because it's surrounded by mature woodland.

“It's not just dereliction but it's a safety hazard for people in the areas to see those crumbling walls which show 20 years of neglect.... There's this new application that we can't see and it's 40 hectares, and there's a legal requirement that any forestry development over 50 hectares has to go through a much more rigorous environmental impact assessment process, and that is clearly avoided by coming up with something that's 40 hectares. We can't see it yet, we don't know what they're doing.”

“The council have a responsibility to use their powers under Section 59 of the Planning Development Act to require the property owner to carry out repairs to protect the building from endangerment but that's only been done in the last two years.

Mr Lumley said he doesn’t see the historic landscape consultant that you'd need in a place like Carrigglas.

The representative for An Taisce said the principle that should apply is use it or lose it. “It should be acquired as a public amenity by combination of the state or local authority or both.”

Mr Lumley explained that there's also a tax relief angle. “Section 103 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is a provision that the owner of a qualifying historic house and garden or park and Carrigglas with its nationally important buildings and history, would certainly qualify, can donate that to the OPW in lieu of tax liability. I would consider that the value of Carrigglas now, after all, it was only bought for not much more than a million in 2014 is still in fact almost negative because of the dereliction that has been allowed to occur and the liability that is now on the property owner to remedy that dereliction and restore those buildings to a good use... We consider it not just a regional, but a national priority to resolve the current situation.

“If the Glennon brothers do not advance a meaningful and immediate plan for the estate, then you are in best position to lobby your local political representatives for negotiated purchase or for use of this tax scheme for the OPW to acquire the property,” advised Mr Lumley.

A letter from Paul Newell, the Acting Director of Services was also read out during the meeting.

Mr Newell stated: “The next step is for the owners Glennon Brothers to move from temporary repairs and surveys to implementing the programme of physical works detailed in the conservation management plan. Glennon Brothers conservation architect will be meeting the council on a monthly basis to track progress.

“Representatives of Longford County Council visited the demesne on Thursday, 22nd of October. In terms of the recent groundworks, an on-site conversation with the Glennon Brothers forester indicated the works that were carried out. The forester informed the council that when the golf course was being constructed circa 2005, the topsoil was stripped and stored in stockpiles. What remained was exposed subsoil. The works that were recently undertaken was to reinstate the topsoil from the stockpiles and level it back over the subsoil, restoring the ground to its original form. At the time of the visit, the works were completed. The planning authority is currently considering its planning enforcement options in relation to the extent of these works and the proximity to protected monuments.

“The advice to hand is that a structure cannot be both on the Derelict Sites Register and the Protected Structures Register. In this instance, these structures which are within the domain wall and including the domain wall are on the Protected Structure Register. As such, the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act do not apply.”

Mr Lumley said there is an argument that derelict sites legislation could apply to Carrigglas. “Paradoxically it would apply to the new buildings if they're visible, the new derelict buildings from the public road. But certainly the argument that because the building is a protected structure it can't be on the derelict sites register is not correct.

“The planning problems and the lack of planning compliance have been obvious in Carrigglas, and I've been raising this with the council for over 20 years now.

“The next step to me would be to engage with other representative sort of organisations, not just in Longford but in the surrounding area also, because Carrigglas is a potential amenity for the much wider area not just Longford. And that should make it a political issue of regional and national concern which it still isn't. It's only really in the last week or so, and particularly the initiative of you meeting that last week that has been getting the long overdue publicity that the dereliction of Carrigglas needs... I don't see any leadership in the council that I've seen in other councils to take on this major project and I don't see that political leadership.”

Mr Lumley added that NAMA gave the Manor away for “buttons.”

“It could have been acquired by the council at that stage had there been leadership at the time, as other properties were... There's two options. Either the Glennons come up with proper plan by Christmas with timetables, phasing or otherwise the pressure must mount for the Glennons to just pass it on.”

Claire Bowler said: “This is of national importance. This isn't even of regional importance. I don't think the council really understand or really feel motivated enough to realise that actually this is way bigger than Longford. This is national... I think that it should be the council having these meetings with us instead of us having to go to the council.”

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