Proposal to demolish stone cottages which date back to 1820s

Developers constructing two apartment blocks on a site to the rear of a pub in Rathcoole Village have now applied for permission to demolish two bungalows adjoining the site, rather than renovate them.

The original planning application, granted permission in 2023, was for the demolition of some existing structures on a site behind Muldowney’s Pub to make way for “21 residential units within two three-storey blocks” as well as the reconfiguration, renovation, and extension of the existing cottages on site to provide for two two-bedroom units”.

A new planning application has now been filed by the developer to allow for “demolition of existing stone cottages on which works have commenced and reconstruction of cottages in modern materials to match existing structures in form to allow for two two-bedroom single storey residential units”.

The pair of cottages, located to the west of Muldowney’s Pub on Rathcoole’s Main Street, date from the 1820s, with many of the original features either altered or replaced according to the architectural heritage impact assessment.

Several slates on the roof of the cottage immediately beside Muldowney’s are missing, “which is contributing to ongoing deterioration of the building fabric”.

“While the existing cottages contribute to the visual rhythm of the Main Street streetscape, their architectural integrity has been significantly compromised over time,” the assessment stated.

“The original window and door openings have been replaced with modern uPVC units, and the internal structure has deteriorated to the point where substantial intervention is required to achieve structural stability.”

Restoration works had already commenced on the pair of cottages, revealing the level of deterioration, however the roof slates have been carefully removed and stored to be “re-used as far as possible” on the two replacement dwellings, and it’s proposed “to reuse the stone from the cottages to build the boundary walls to the yards thereby retaining the materials within the site”.

“The proposed approach—rebuilding the cottages on the same footprint, to the same height, and with matching external proportions and detailing—aligns with the principles set out for Architectural Conservation Areas for Rathcoole, where the emphasis is placed on preserving streetscape character rather than insisting on the retention of compromised fabric”, the architectural assessment concluded.

A decision is due from council planners by March 30, 2026.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme