€2 m new lease of life imminent for historic but derelict Laois landmark

Laois County Council are putting ambitious plans for the proposed renovation of the old Courthouse in Borris-In-Ossory on public display o ahead of the planning permission being formally sought at the October meeting of Laois County Council, according to a Fine Gael ouncillor.

Cllr Conor Bergin outlined the process in a statement to the Leinster Express.

He said the Council is in the process of adapting the former courthouse building and site in Borris-In-Ossory, to form a new digital hub. He explained that an architect-led design team was appointed by the council in 2022, Renovation plans for the Courthouse were officially unveiled at a public meeting in Borris with Laois County Council and Howley Hayes Cooney architects on March 29, 2023.

"The proposed plans include renovating the Courthouse to a 21st century modern digital hub, with working space for 15-17 people, a new multi-purpose community meeting room and a modern extension which has the potential to be used as a community enterprise, such as a coffee shop or tea room.

“The renovated courthouse will be served by high-speed fibre broadband, and I am hopeful that it will also have a state-of-the-art meeting room which will be available to community groups and local clubs in the area. There has been a need for a new community centre in Borris-In-Ossory for years to support the many local clubs in the area,” said Cllr Bergin who is a Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District representative.

He said the plans will be on display both online on the Laois County Council website and in County Hall for four weeks from next Tuesday, August 22 to give the public an opportunity to make any comments on the renovation plans.

“I have been working closely with Laois County Council on this project and it is anticipated that planning permission will be applied for via the Part 8 process by the Council at our October Council meeting and the Council will then formally apply for Rural Regeneration and Development Funding later this year. Subject to funding being granted by the Department and tendering, the project could hopefully begin next year.

“As Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council in January 2022, I welcomed €212,332 which was secured for the renovation of Borris-In-Ossory Courthouse under Category 2 & 3 of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, announced by Minister Heather Humphreys.

“The overall renovation cost is estimated to be in the region of over €2 million and the plan is that the Council will apply for further funding from the Department under the next round of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, hopefully later this year for Phase 2 of the project. I am delighted however to confirm that the wheels are in motion and the Courthouse will finally be renovated after 20 years of being a derelict building,” he said.

Cllr Bergin said the development of a digital hub to accommodate people working in the public sector in the Courthouse is directly in line with the recent strategy announced by the Government last year to enable more public servants to work remotely, particularly in rural areas.

“I believe that this project will have massive benefits and help revitalise the village in Borris-In-Ossory, which has suffered from dereliction and unemployment in recent decades and could act as a prototype to be rolled out in other rural villages around the country.

"The courthouse building itself has a significant place in local history in Borris-In-Ossory and is part of the heritage of the area, having being originally constructed in 1835. According to local tradition Charles White, the High Sheriff of Laois insisted that the Courthouse should be built facing in the direction of his home at Charleville, in the parish of Ballaghmore. 'Petty sessions', as they were known operated in the Court in the early 1900s and it held the status of District Court until the late 1960s. The original courthouse roof was burned off during the War of Independence in 1921,” he said.

He hoped that the project would serve the future and uncover more history for the community.

"The premises have been derelict for almost 20 years and this project will hopefully both renovate a derelict building in the village and provide a 21st century state-of-the-art community centre and new remote working facility. I also understand a number of local people have various rare and historic memorabilia and artefacts from the Courthouse, which they would gladly donate to any exhibition or local history project which could be undertaken in the Courthouse once renovated,” he said.

He added that It is envisaged that once the courthouse is fully renovated, the Laois County Council area office will relocate back to the building – meaning that the Council once again have a permanent base in the village of which he is a native.