Town council prepared to seek compulsory purchase order to hold on to city park

A LOCAL authority may have to seek a compulsory purchase order to prevent Mallow losing its town park to two brothers, one of whom is a former equerry and private secretary to the late Princess Diana.

Patrick Jephson, who served the princess for eight years, and his brother, Michael, have told Mallow Town Council that they want the park back, as a 99-year-lease arranged by their ancestors is due to run out on October 31.

The town council has already offered the brothers in the region of €500,000 to buy out the freehold, but the land could be worth up to €1 million.

The land is zoned for amenity and recreation and is used by a number of sporting organisations such as the GAA, soccer and rugby clubs. It is the only large green space left in the town and is also home to a children’s playground.

Park Road, one of the town’s busiest routes, also runs through it.

The 24 acres of land was leased to the town council, to be used as an amenity, in 1907, by the Catherine Jephson Norreys, who at the time owned Mallow Castle.

Her relatives have written to the council asking it for suggestions about an “orderly handover”.

However, the Mayor of Mallow, Cllr Jerry Mullally, said yesterday that while he hoped a speedy solution could be found, there is no way Mallow could afford to lose such an amenity.

“Firstly, you can rest assured that we don’t want the land rezoned. If we have to seek a compulsory purchase order we will, but I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Mr Mullally said.

He added that if the road was closed off, it would have very serious consequences for traffic management in the town.

It is understood that the council has written to the Jephsons’ legal representatives, asking them to extend the lease agreement for a year while negotiations are on-going.

Philip Comyn, of solicitors O’Connor and Dudley — who represent the Jephsons — said: “Discussions are taking place, but it is too early to say what the outcome will be.”

The issue has been further complicated by an application for a new lease made by the local GAA club to the town council. The club’s secretary, Eugene Carey, who is also a solicitor, said that on December 1, 1953, the council approved the GAA a 52-year lease. That has run out but they have applied for another.

“Under the terms of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1971, the club is entitled to apply for a sporting lease of not less than 21 years,” Mr Carey said.

He said that the situation was a “potentially very serious” one for the club.

“We have two pitches, one for juveniles and the other for seniors in the park. In total we have 64 teams involved at all levels — that’s nearly 1,000 people,” Mr Carey added.