Limerick officials left red-faced after €12m fine threat over roofs

Limerick City planners have been left red-faced over their objection to two neighbours restoring their roofs to their original red slate colour.

Tue, 26 May, 2015 - 01:00

Jimmy Woulfe, Mid-West Correspondent

Paddy Mullins and Eamon Murphy, who live in semi-detached four-bedroom homes at No 5 and No 6 St Nessan’s Park, Dooradoyle, both repainted their houses last July and applied a reddish colour over the brown tiles.

They were threatened with huge fines if they did not tone down the roof colours. After they challenged the council, the council kicked for touch and referred it to An Bord Pleanála.

Now An Bord Pleanála has given the red roofs the green light.

An unnamed official from Limerick City and County Council, who spotted the altered colour scheme, claimed it was totally out of character for the area.

The two neighbours received letters stating planning permission had not been sought; with a warning they could each face massive fines of up to €12m if the matter proceeded to court.

Mr Mullins advised the council that the original terracotta slates were red when the houses were built about 60 years ago.

City Hall planners decided to refer it to An Bord Pleanála when they examined maps and discovered a “tinge of red” in one roof.

Mr Mullins, a 67-year-old grandfather, bought No 5 St Nessan’s Park and moved in with his wife Mary five years ago. Since then he has carried out extensive renovations, including the building of a large fish pond in the front garden.

He said: “I delivered terracotta tiles and roof slates all over the country when I worked with Roadstone. When I moved in here it was obvious that all eight houses on this side of St Nessan’s Park had terracotta roofs. However, they got discoloured over the years through the accumulation of moss and grime. After I decided to repaint my house and clean off the roof, my neighbour said he would like to have the same colour scheme. There must have been a half a ton of moss taken from the two roofs and all we did was restore them to their old terracotta glory. The people living in the area could not believe how well the houses look now.”

Mr Mullins said he wanted to retain all the old features, including the original roof colour.

He said yesterday: “I am very happy with the decision. I checked all eight houses on my side of the road and they all have terracotta roofs. The eight houses on the other side of the road have black roofs. That makes me believe that there was a time lapse between the building of the two sides of the estate.”