Apartments on grounds of historic Waterford country house rejected as 'inappropriate'

Viewmount House in Waterford. Plans to build apartments on the site of the historic country house in Waterford City have been rejected. Picture: Eoghan Dalton

Plans to build apartments on the site of a historic country house in Waterford City have been rejected.

The proposal to develop a two-storey residential block comprising eight two-bedroom flats alongside Viewmount House, located in the Viewmount Park housing estate on Waterford's Dunmore Road, would detract from the house - a protected structure - and would affect the amount of green and recreational space available in the estate, according to council planning chiefs.

The plans faced major opposition, drawing almost 70 submissions from residents and accusations that Waterford City and County Council had made a "highly inappropriate" endorsement of the project following a letter of support provided for developer Holmacre Investment. 

Fears were also raised that construction would require the chopping down of a 300-year-old Cedar tree on the half-acre site.

Two local Fianna Fáil councillors also opposed the development, with one saying that the apartments risked resulting in numerous new cars entering the estate, by adding 14 parking spaces, endangering the council's plans for a carbon neutral city.

Now in use as offices, Viewmount House was built in the mid-19th century as a country house in what was then a rural area. The city's expansion eastwards in recent decades has seen it now stand in the middle of the Viewmount housing estate containing roughly 300 homes.

Viewmount House was built in the mid-19th century as a country house in what was then a rural area. The city's expansion eastwards in recent decades has seen it now stand in the middle of the Viewmount housing estate containing roughly 300 homes. Picture: Eoghan Dalton

While council planners disagreed that the apartments would overly impact on locals, they nonetheless turned down the developer's plans, saying the proposal's "overall form, scale, massing and location is considered inappropriate" and would not be in line with good conservation practice.

It would "dominate" and "visually detract" from the architectural character and significance of Viewmount House and negatively impact on the land around it, with the gross floor area and the width of the complex set to be larger than the protected structure.

If permitted, the council feared it would set an "undesirable precedent" for similar developments on the lands of large historic houses.

In one appeal to planners, Councillor Eddie Mulligan urged them to heed the large public opposition to the project from locals - one meeting held after details of the project emerged saw more than 80 people attending.

Meanwhile, noting there may be two to four renters in each apartment, each with their own car, Councillor Adam Wyse said it gives cause for concern on Waterford's "aim to be a carbon neutral city", as announced by the council last year.

However, the council rejected the claims by residents and councillors that a housing official's endorsement of the project was "prejudicial" to the planning process.

'Highly inappropriate'

In his submission, Councillor Wyse said a letter containing support from Paul Johnston of WCCC was "highly inappropriate" and "detrimental" to the fairness of the planning process and questioned whether Mr Johnston was speaking on behalf of the council.

Mr Johnston told the Irish Examiner that the merits of the Viewmount scheme were decided by the council's planning department, an entirely separate office to housing.

He said the supply of housing "remains the primary objective" of his department, and that the letter of support was not an unusual step.

"The Housing Department has provided letters of support for housing schemes if requested, and these can be requested for a number of reasons. The merits of any particular planning application for housing are considered through the planning process," Mr Johnston added.