Stately home ‘could handle 10,000 visitors a week’

A REDEVELOPED stately home could deal with up to 10,000 visitors a week, a Bord Pleanála oral hearing was told yesterday.

Plans to conserve Dunkathel House, near Glanmire, were unveiled by O’Flynn Construction, which has purchased the building and adjoining lands for a major housing project.

Cork County Council has already granted the company permission to build 527 homes on the site, but O’Flynn Construction is seeking up to 600. In addition, it plans to build an equestrian centre, garden centre, creche, retail unit and cafe.

The listed house will be the focus of a major restoration project and will incorporate a visitor centre, with some areas finished in period style, an arts/crafts area, conference centre, exhibition centre and an area for small musical performances.

However, objectors to the project questioned whether alterations to Dunkathel House would attract enough visitors to make it financially viable.

Lewis Cloghessy, a former board member of An Bord Pleanála who is advising objectors from Glounthaune Community Association (GCA), said he was worried about the house’s future.

“Whatever form of management takes over [the running of the house] there will have to be a business plan. I don’t see a firm business plan, I see a number of possibilities. I’m not reassured,” Mr Cloghessy said.

GCA chairman Philip Mullally said Fota House had experienced financial problems and he was concerned about the same thing happening at Dunkathel.

James Macken SC, acting for Cork County Council, said he didn’t want to see projects associated with the house fragmented, as it could result in people leasing different parts, causing difficulties.

The council’s architectural heritage officer, Louise Harrington, said she was happy with the proposed alterations to the house and recognised that some commercial interests had to be on site to maintain it.

Frank Ryan, a specialist advisor to O’Flynn Construction, told Bord Pleanála inspector Conor McGrath that a 200-space car park was adequate to cater for 10,000 visitors a week.

The hearing was also informed that the developer, Michael O’Flynn, intends to open the house and 27.1 hectares of the total 63.8 hectares to the public.

Questions were raised, however, about a perceived lack of proper sports and community facilities on the site. But the developers said they had other sites nearby where these amenities could be built, which would cater for the 1,500 people expected to live in the estate.

After last night’s hearing, objectors issued a statement requesting An Bord Pleanála to reject the application and urge opposing parties to come up with a compromise.

It is expected it will take at least two months before the planning appeals board makes its decision.