Katharine Tynan House refurb plans approved

PERMISSION has been granted by South Dublin County Council to refurbish Katharine Tynan House from a disused dwelling to a community centre.

A protected structure, the house, also known as Whitehall, was the home of prolific novelist and poet Katharine Tynan, and is where she hosted numerous literary greats, including William Butler Yeats and AE Russell, in the late 1800s.

The restoration of the historic home was originally part of plans to develop the Newlands Farm site, a controversial planning proposal put forward last year by developer Hibernia REIT for 3,500 residential units, a sports hub and the restoration of Katharine Tynan House.

However, these plans were shelved after the Newlands Farm site in Kingswood was not rezoned for residential use by councillors in a County Development Plan meeting last June.

In the same month, Hibernia submitted a planning application for the refurbishment of Katharine Tynan House.

In a request for additional information, council planners in December asked Hibernia REIT to provide a rational behind the proposed restoration of Katharine Tynan House for a community centre.

The house approximately 1902

In its reply, Hibernia REIT said: “The proposal recognises the need to provide community facilities that promote alternative interests and seeks to adapt historical buildings to ensure their long-term viability”.

As reported in The Echo at the time, Hibernia REIT provided a list of potential activities proposed which include the potential to host literary events such as Red Line Book Festival or One Dublin One Book on site.

Education, poetry and literary readings, youth cafés and youth programmes, yoga/Pilates, arts and crafts exhibitions, farmers’ markets and community allotments have all been listed as potential activities.

This week, the council granted permission for the change of use of Katharine Tynan House from a disused dwelling to a community centre.

According to the planning application submitted by Hibernia REIT, works will include refurbishment of the roof and external walls, the reinstatement of windows, external doors, ceilings, floors, a conservatory and glazed porch.

New internal stairs and doors will also be fitted and two new single storey open-fronted structures on part of the footprint of earlier outbuildings.

The refurbishment will also include the historic garden walls and gates.

Upgrading of the existing entrance and approach from Ballymount Road is also provided for in the planning, and provision for parking on site.

The planning application has been passed subject to 24 conditions, which includes a number of conservation conditions that lists requirements of the South Dublin County County Architectural Conservation Officer.

According to the council: “On assessing the proposed works and information provided in the Architectural Impact Assessment Report it is considered that the proposed works and mitigating measures have been well considered to ensure minimal intervention to the original built fabric”.

The council also noted that a suitable qualified Conservation Architect ‘shall be engaged to supervise and oversee the proposed works to the existing protected structure site’.

Full details on the planning application, Architectural Impact Assessment Report and council decision on sdcc.ie.