COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor E. Coburn

"To ask the Manager for an update on the status of Marlay House following the recent fire which destroyed the building?"

REPLY:

The Council’s Conservation Officer carried out a site inspection and met with the owners on 20th July 2010 to assess the current damage to Marlay Grange House following a fire on the afternoon of the 1st July 2010. The structure has been badly damaged and the internal floors and ceilings have completely collapsed.  Due to amount of burnt timbers still hanging from the roof area it was not safe to enter the interior of the property so the inspection was carried out from the perimeter of the property for safety reasons.  The main walls and chimneys of the structure are still intact and look to be in a sound condition.  The internal layout remains with fireplaces and there are remnants of decorative plasterwork visible.

The owners were advised at the site meeting that the site should be made secure as soon as possible.  This would be achieved by securing all entry points into the structure with appropriate block work and that the front door should be sealed with secure steel sheeting to allow continual access into the building for removal of debris and further inspections and surveys etc.  The owner agreed that he would secure the site as soon as possible and would get a structural engineer to inspect the chimneys to ascertain their structural condition.

The owners were reminded that as the owner of a Protected Structure they have a duty of care under the Planning & Development Acts 2000-2004 to prevent the endangerment of a Protected Structure or part of a Protected Structure.  Based on the site inspection carried out the Conservation Officer recommended that a Section 59 Endangerment Notice under Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 be served on the owners of Marlay Grange House.

A Section 59 Endangerment Notice was issued on the 11th August 2010.  Under the provisions of the Planning and Development Act the owner may within a 4 week period from the date of the notice make a written representation to the Planning Authority concerning:

The owners are then required to carry out the remedial works necessary to prevent Marlay Grange House from becoming or continuing to be endangered to be carried out within a specified period of not less than 8 weeks from the date of the notice.  If the owners fail to comply with the terms of the Notice the necessary legal proceedings will be instigated.  Once the necessary remedial works to safeguard the structure and secure the site are carried out a further assessment will then be made in terms of the appropriate restoration and reinstatement works required by the owners of Marlay Grange House.