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Appraisal of candidate Architectural Conservation Areas South Dublin County Council Development Plan Review

A review prepared by John Cronin & Associates

on behalf of South Dublin County Council

April 2015

South Dublin County Council

Appraisal of candidate Architectural Conservation Areas

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Contents

Background ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Butterfield Avenue and environs ......................................................................................................................................... 5

Fortfield Road and environs .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Hazelhatch Bridge ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Kimmage Road West and Whitehall Road ...................................................................................................................... 8

Lucan Village Extension ........................................................................................................................................................ 10

Newcastle Village ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Palmerstown Village .............................................................................................................................................................. 15

Rathcoole Village ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Rathfarnham Road, Park and Ballytore Road ........................................................................................................... 19

Riverside Cottages ................................................................................................................................................................... 20

St. Patrick’s Cottages, Grange Road ................................................................................................................................ 22

Whitechurch Road and Taylor’s Lane ............................................................................................................................ 25



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Background

South Dublin County Council engaged John Cronin & Associates to support a review of the

Record of Protected Structures (RPS) and Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) as part of

the statutory review of the South Dublin County Council Development Plan. The review of the

South Dublin County Development Plan, pursuant to Section 11 of the Planning and

Development Act 2000 (as amended) commenced on 5th September 2014. This process will take

up to 2 years and will conclude with the publication of the South Dublin County Council

Development Plan 2016 – 2022.

In relation to the review of potential candidates for ACA designation, South Dublin County

Council tasked John Cronin & Associates to carry out an assessment a total of 12 no. areas that

the Council considered merit more detailed assessment with a view to possible formal

designation under Part IV of the Act and in accordance with requirements and criteria set out in

the Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines for Planning Authorities (Department of the

Environment, 2004). The twelve areas were as follows:

Butterfield Avenue

Fortfield Road

Hazelhatch

Kimmage Road West/Whitehall Road

Lucan Village Extension

Newcastle Lyons

Palmerstown Village

Rathcoole Village

Rathfarnham Park and Ballytore, Rathfarnham

Riverside Cottages

St. Patrick’s Cottages/Grange Road

Whitechurch Road and Taylor’s Lane

A significant amount of baseline research has been compiled by SDCC (in accordance with the

Designation Procedures for Architectural Conservation Areas (Planning Guidelines No. 9, page

57). The project team drew on this work and specifically undertook the following actions:

Inspect the extent of each selected area

Established boundaries

Identified the character of the area

Noted buildings of particular significance to the character of the area

Noted important streetscapes, vistas, planting and the like

Consider setting of the area (views in and out of it)

Identify parts of the area that detract from its character and special interest

At the outset of the project it was agreed that there was no need to prepare an architectural

inventory of the structures and features within each area as this would involve significant

expense and in addition most areas have been previously recorded by the National Inventory of

Architectural Heritage). The following sections outline a summary of the work undertaken and

contains recommendations regarding whether a particular candidate area should be designated

as an ACA.

Finally in designating new or expanded ACAs, it is considered critical to review whether such a

designation will improve or provide a more appropriate level of protection to the special



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interest of the areas concerned. Many of the areas looked at in this process consisted of terraces

or groupings of dwellings (or “cottages”) that were designed and built as distinct entities or

areas. The ACA designations proposed within this document will serve to provide a more

appropriate (indeed better-suited) and consistent form of protection for such groupings of

domestic/residential terraces and houses. The report authors are strongly of the opinion that

where groups or terraces of residential buildings that are currently designated as protected

structures will now be included in new or amended ACAs that the Planning Authority remove

such structures from the Record of Protected Structures in recognition of the fact that the

special interest value of such buildings will be afforded protection via the ACA designation. The

ACA designation will facilitate the control of inappropriate development and material changes

to the exteriors of such buildings and associated public and private open space. This report

highlights and identifies protected structures that should be removed from the RPS where and

when the recommended designation of ACA is adopted by the Planning Authority.

Acknowledgements The project team wishes to express their gratitude to the steering group for this project, in

particular:

Ms Irenie McLoughlin, Architectural Conservation Officer

Ms Karen Kenny, Senior Executive Planner

Mr James Phelan, Executive Planner

Mr Feargal Ó'Súilleabháin, Architectural Services Department



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Butterfield Avenue and environs Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area

This area comprises various buildings types from different periods. It remained a quiet rural

road on the outskirts of Rathfarnham village with only a few buildings (including Butterfield

House, now a protected structure and old Orchard House) until the late 1920s/early 1930s

when a development of two-storey, semi-detached houses was constructed on Butterfield Drive,

Butterfield Crescent and Butterfield Park. Significant architectural details of interest on these

arts-and-crafts and art-deco inspired dwellings include the use of stained glass, circular

windows, deep recessed porches and unusual stepped battlement on adjoining walls between

houses. There are also a limited number of cottages [House Numbers 214, 216, 182 and 184]

from the early twentieth-century South Dublin Rural Council building scheme dotted along the

road. These cottages feature the typical style of the then county architect T.J. Byrne who

designed many examples of such high-quality, working-class housing.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we do not recommend that

South Dublin County Council (SDCC) give consideration to the formal designation of an

architectural conservation area (ACA) for this housing scheme, for the following reasons:

moderate significance

discreet, limited development pressure,

absence of landmark buildings

no significant loss of building fabric or dereliction



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Fortfield Road and environs Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area

As part of the current development plan review process, John Cronin & Associates (JCA) have

been commissioned by South Dublin County Council to conduct research, field inspection and

produce recommendations on a number of potential architectural conservation areas (ACAs).

The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the Fortfield Road area.

This area consists of three linear developments opposite Terenure College with mostly semi-

detached houses on Fortfield Road, Fortfield Drive and Fortfield Park. The houses on Hyde

Street include Fortfield Lodge which was located in the grounds of the no longer extant Fortfield

House, as well as a modern cottage build and an older structure (possibly an early gate lodge

identified on the 3rd Edition O.S map), which has been adapted into a commercial premises.

While there is a mix in building styles, the majority of the houses in this potential ACA are semi-

detached, two-storey dwellings with red brick ground floors, a rough render upper storey,

hipped roofs with rear extensions, recessed porches and bow windows with individual pitched

roof and wooden beam details. There is also a small number of Art Deco influenced houses with

features including shared breakfronts with curved corners that extend to parapet level. Walls

are either smooth white render or rough render with red brick detail around ground floor

openings and the chimneys. There are also some decorative Art Deco sun burst features found

in the front door glass and in the front railings.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we do not recommend that



moderate significance

discreet, limited development pressure,

absence of landmark buildings

no significant loss of building fabric or dereliction



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Hazelhatch Bridge Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of Hazelhatch Bridge.

This candidate ACA consists of a late eighteenth-century bridge over a section of the Grand

Canal and a number of associated buildings of a similar period in the immediate environs. On

the western side of the canal along the bank is McEvoys public house with a ruined warehouse

structure to the rear, an imposingly elevated Georgian style two-storey dwelling, and the Bank

House. On the eastern bank of the canal is the spilt level public house The Hatch Bar, which has

a single-storey public house on the main road and a series of adjoining structures including a

former black-smith’s premises, all of which front into a central yard. Works to many of these

structures appeared to be ongoing at the time of field survey for this assessment although the

site was not accessed and was only viewed from the public road.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, it is our opinion that South

Dublin County Council (SDCC) should not give consideration to the formal designation of an

architectural conservation area (ACA) for this area, for the following reasons:

While the area contains a number of structures which have been sited here having a

common association with the canal or road network, the existing protected structure

status of the most significant of the buildings should be sufficient to conserve any built

heritage interest here. The apparent lack of demand for extensive development and the

omission of the area from any development plan zoning means that the normal planning

process, with the assessment appropriate to any site along the Grand Canal, should be

sufficient to control the form and appearance of any further structures proposed for

here.

Given the presence of several such complexes and the bridges, locks and other features

located along the entire length of the Canal, it may be that a more appropriate action

than ACA designation would be consideration of a Conservation Plan or Statement as

outlined in the Guidelines for Architectural Heritage Protection (3.12.2). This could

allow greater recognition and coherance between the multiple conservation objectives

of architectural and natural heritage protections which apply to the Grand Canal.

The issue of the occupation, appearance and management of boats moored at this

section of the Canal is central to the conservation of the historic character and visual

amenity of the Hazelhatch Bridge area. As this is a matter not entirely within the control

of the planning authority, the designation of an ACA may not be appropriate if such a

dominating element of the area cannot be managed.

The issue of enforcement of protected structure controls appears to be problematic in

the area (particularly on The Hatch Bar site). If many of the objectives of protected

structure status cannot be implimented, it seems unlikely that the built heritage on the

site will be any better served by ACA designation.



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Kimmage Road West and Whitehall Road Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the Kimmage Road West and

Whitehall Road area.

This possible ACA consists of a 1930s development of two-storey, semi-detached houses that

are located along Kimmage Road West and Whitehall Road. Although there is some variation,

they are similar in style to the houses on Fortfield Road ACA in that they are alligned parallel

with the street, have two storeys, with red brick ground level, rough render upper storey,

hipped roofs with lean-to extensions, recessed porches, some circular windows and bow

windows with individual pitched roof and wooden beam details. Further south there are also a

considerable number of detached bungalows dating from the 1940s. On the southern end of

Whitehall Road is a collection of ten semi-detached cottages arranged in a semi-circle with large

front gardens, some retaining their original railings which date from the early twentieth

century.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we would recommend that

South Dublin County Council (SDCC) do not designate formal ACA designation of the area

described at Kimmage Road West/Whitehall, for the following reasons:

While the structures in this area are good examples of early 1930s developer-led

housing there is very little original fabric of note and no particularly outstanding

architectural detail or association that warrants special protection. The area is one of

several that changed from being predominantly rural to suburban at this point in the

early mid-twentieth century.

There are some remaining architectural and artistic elements such as stained window

and door glazing, bow-fronted bay windows, cast-iron roof-lights, recessed porches with

brick arches or carved timber brackets and common wrought-iron details to boundary

fences and gates. Much of the original architectural fabric has been replaced in more

recent decades although it appears that the houses always had distinct individual

character and motifs while sharing a common scale and general style. There are no

features here which are not seen in better condition and in greater abundance in several

other similar aged developments around Dublin.

There have been alterations to extend and enlarge many of these dwellings, and while

they have kept much of their original character from the 1930s, their original design and

character has been further diluted and they no longer retain any notably outstanding

architectural or historic merit.

Designation of the area delineated around Kimmage Road West and Whitehall Road as

an ACA would undermine the value of other ACAs in the Council area. While the area

does contain built heritage of a generally high quality and a few interesting surviving

examples of 1930s fabric, it is not of a comparable standard with other more worthy

candidate ACAs under the responsibility of the Council



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On the basis of this review process, JCA did not proceed with a more detailed appraisal of

the area’s architectural character and development or with compilation of policy

statements or associated mapping.



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Lucan Village Extension Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area

Lucan is located in the west of South County Dublin close to the border with Fingal to the

north and Kildare to the west. The area that was focus of the review includes Weirview

Cottages, Mill Bank Cottages and the nineteenth-century industrial chimney stack associated

with Hills Mills, all of which are located on the northern bank of the river Liffey in the townland

of Laraghcon. Weirview Cottages, constructed in the late nineteenth-century, consists of a

terrace of twenty, two-storey, two-bay houses with rough-cast rendered walls and red brick

details around façade openings, cornice and chimney stacks. Many still retain timber sash

windows and plank doors. To the east of Weirview Cottages, still on the northern bank of the

River Liffey are Millbank Cottages. This is a terrace of ten houses, which are of a similar style

and probably slightly later construction date to Weirview Cottages. They are two-storey, two-

bay houses with rough-cast rendered walls painted white and brick decoration around ground

floor openings painted black. Most of the house have uPVC windows and doors with some

replacement timber fenestration also. Included in this area at the site of the original nineteenth-

century Hill’s Woolen Mills, is the main surviving feature dating from this period, a large red

brick chimney stack. The Stewards Craft shop was constructed next to the bridge in the

nineteenth-century, and is a red brick, two-storey, three-bay structure with an entrance at first

floor level. The area also includes a number of protected structures on or next to the river

including Lucan bridge, a power station and a single stage weir, associated sluice and salmon

pass dating from c. 1870.

Extensive development at the mill site was recorded from as early as the 1st Edition O.S map

(1843). Mr William Strangeman Hill bought the iron mill that was in this location and set up a

textile mill in 1863 that continued in operation until 1988. Weirview Cottages and Millbank

Cottages were constructed for the employees of the Hills Mills. The Liffey Bridge was

constructed by engineer George Knowles in 1814. The Power Station which would have been

associated with the mills on the western side of the bridge dates from c.1870 as would the weir

and associated protected riverine structures.

The two late nineteenth-century terraces in the northern extension area are distinctively

industrial examples of dwellings that would have been built extensively in large cities elsewhere

in late-Victorian Britain at the time. Their urban appearance in a location that was very much a

small though important village on the Liffey outside of Dublin city underlines the significance of

the area in the nineteenth century. Coupled with the iconic Lucan Bridge, “the pinnacle

masonry arch bridge in Ireland”1 given its longest-span record on the island, there is

considerable architectural and technical significance in the surviving masonry craftwork of this

area. Other than structural elements of the built heritage here only limited historic fabric

remains in situ; window, door and rainwater goods replacement as well as re-roofing with fibre-

cement or concrete tiles, have all diminished the architectural significance of the area.

However, rare survivals are therefore even more significant and important to conserve. Also,

the form, siting and scale of many old buildings in this part of Lucan is still intact and these

aspects are still relevant for the appreciation and understanding of the historic development of

the village. They still provide useful references to the historic street-line, building scale and

1 O’Keefe and Simmington 1991 Irish Stone Bridges Irish Academic Press, Dublin



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proportions and despite contemporary changes, the remaining old structures retain a patina of

age that contributes positively to the character and visual amenity of the area.

On the basis of this review process, JCA have outlined a suggested extent for a new

extended ACA designation for the village of Lucan (see overleaf; the blue line represents a

suggested extended area). We have also considered the range of protected structures

within the proposed expanded-ACA and strongly believe that the ACA designation will

provide more than adequate level of protection for residential terraces that are currently

designated as protected structures. To that end, it is recommended that the Planning

Authority in proposing amended and extended ACA for Lucan Village, remove the

following protected structures from the RPS as they will now be located within said

proposed extension to the Lucan Village ACA: RPS Ref. 011 – 1a-4a Mill Bank, Lucan (4 structures to be removed from RPS)

RPS Ref. 015 – Millbank Cottages (10 structures to be removed from RPS)

RPS Ref. 022 – Weirview Cottages (20 structures to be removed from RPS)



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Proposed extent of expanded ACA for Lucan Village (highlighted by blue line)



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Newcastle Village Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of Newcastle Village.

Newcastle is one of the most historically significant villages in South County Dublin. Originally

established as a medieval manor in the thirteenth century the large number of surviving

archaeological monuments and the well preserved medieval land holding system of burgage

plots that has been preserved in hedgerows makes Newcastle a village of national significance.

The built fabric that constitutes the village core is some of the oldest in the region. Buildings of

note in and around this possible Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) include a combination

of medieval structures such as a number of tower houses constructed by 1500, the Church of

Ireland Church (which replaced the previous building here in the late fourteenth-early fifteenth

century), the mid-eighteenth century Glebe House, as well as several two-storey houses, the

Primary School and the Roman Catholic Church which date from the early to mid-nineteenth

century. The village green, with its mature trees, is also included as well as a variety of street

furniture and built features on the landscape.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we do recommend that


architectural conservation area (ACA) for the village, for the following reasons:

The village has been an established urban centre since at least the twelfth century and

there is evidence of prehistoric settlement on the margins of the present village core

Newcastle contains landmark medieval structures and relict field system morphology

that underscore the historical significance of the place

Into the post-medieval period, the environs of the village proved to be favoured location

for country residences for the ruling elite of Dublin City; notable estates in the environs

of the village include Newcastle Demesne and Lyons Demesne

There has been and is likely to continue to be considerable pressure for new

development within the village core; there is considerable scope to accommodate this

potential development but regard should be had to the village’s character, archaeology

and landmark buildings

The historical significance, morphology and built form of the village are of special

interest and worthy of policy measures to help conserve such significance.

On the basis of this review process, JCA have outlined a suggested extent for the ACA

designation.



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Proposed extent of ACA for Newcastle Village



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Palmerstown Village Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the Palmerstown Village area.

This area largely consists of a number of linear developments that were constructed to serve the

workers of the metal and cotton mills, large houses and the Stewart’s Hospital in the area. The

residential developments include Fintan's Cottages, Red Cow Cottages, Woodfarm Cottages and

Robin Villas. St Fintan’s are the latest and consist of a terrace of eight cottages with simple

extended porches and smooth rendered painted walls of various colours. Red Cow Cottages

which appear on the 4th Edition O.S maps form a terrace of eight, two-storey structures with the

ground storey of snecked squared granite construction with red brick detail and the upper floor

of rough render painted in various colours. Woodfarm Cottages also appear on the 4th Edition

O.S maps and are similar in style to the Red Cow Cottages. The remainder of the area comprises

the parish hall (previously the National School on the Kennelsfort Rd Lower/Lucan Road

junction), Palmerstown House Inn, Riversdale House, a number of incidental nineteenth and

early-twentieth century commercial premises and dwellings and Robin Villas. Robin Villas form

an interesting early mid-twentieth century housing development with unusual design of semi-

detached dwellings with pitched roofs, lean-to extensions and a side main entrance.


South Dublin County Council (SDCC) do not propose a formal ACA designation of Palmerstown

Village, for the following reasons:

While there is architectural and structural merit in the groups of houses built in this

area in the early to mid-twentieth century, there is very little original fabric of note and

no particularly outstanding architectural detail or association that warrants special

protection. The area changed from being widely-dispersed rural rural settlement with a

number of large industrial and institutional employers to a more focused working-class

residential area with public services being developed and added as the population grew

in the early mid-twentieth century. There is little by way of a distinctive focus or

coherent identity for the area with houses having been developed on a seemingly

piecemeal basis.

There are some remaining architectural and historical elements just outside the

delineated area such as calp limestone walls which formed the boundaries of former

country houses now buried among late twentieth-century residential estates. Much of

the other original architectural fabric within the prescribed area such as window

frames, entrance doors and garden boundary ironwork has been replaced in recent

decades as houses were upgraded, although the buildings retain a good deal of their

original character having been very well-designed and constructed of local squared

granite and brick dressings. There are no features here which are not seen in better

condition and in greater abundance in several other similar aged developments around

Dublin.



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A number of principal structures in the area retain much of their architectural or

historic merit with the Palmerstown House Inn, the Parish Hall and the Coach-house all

contributing positively to the historic character and visual amenity of the area. However

none of these buildings do they provide much insight into the urban development of the

area.

Designation of the area delineated in Palmerstown Village as an ACA would undermine

the value of other ACAs in the Council area. While the area does contain built heritage of

a reasonably high quality and a few interesting individual structures from the

eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it is not of a comparable standard with

other more worthy candidate ACAs under the responsibility of the Council

On the basis of this review process, JCA have not proceeded with a more detailed

appraisal of the area’s architectural character and development or with compilation of

policy statements or associated mapping. However the Review of the Record of Protected

Structures (RPS) conducted in parallel with this ACA appraisal process does recommend

that a number of buildings of architectural heritage within the village core of

Palmerstown be added to the Council’s RPS.



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Rathcoole Village Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of Rathcoole Village.

This possible ACA covers the Main Street of Rathcoole Village. It is linear in formation,

stretching from Rathcoole House in the east to the N7 in the west. There are numerous buildings

of interest including Rathcoole House, the Court of Petty Sessions, the health care centre,

Rathcoole Inn and several smaller cottages dotted throughout the village. The main

concentration of historic buildings, dating from the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, are

in the eastern and central part of the village while towards the west are more modern

structures. There are also a significant number of backyard builds and later housing estates

added in the roads that radiate from the village core.



architectural conservation area (ACA) for the village, for the following reasons:

The village was established as one of the Archbishop of Dublin’s manors and has

remained as an urban centre since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The remaining

fabric contains evidence of how the village layout has developed throughout the period

since the thirteenth century with most of the remaining structures dating from the

nineteenth century.

Rathcoole contains a variety of landmark seventeenth to nineteenth-century structures

and some remaining medieval landscape features in the extant linear plots behind Main

Street properties, all of which provide it with a distinct historic character.

As late twentieth-century residential and road development surrounded Rathcoole, the

village core remained discernible as a distinct urban focus for the surrounding area.

While the construction of the adjacent N7 motorway provided a major new northern

boundary to the town which severed its links in this direction, it also alleviated the

pressure of excessive through-traffic on the Main Street which has enabled many of the

historic structures to be retained for modern residential or commercial use.

There has been considerable pressure for residential development around the village

throughout the last three-four decades, although this has largely been accommodated on

side-roads and back-yard builds which have left the Main Street relatively intact. One

particular recent development on the Main Street displayed a poor regard for the

existing scale and massing in the village core and it demonstrates the ease with which

damage to visual amenity, the overall historic character and architectural integrity of a

village can be impacted on negatively without appropriate assessment of development

proposals.



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The remaining historic fabric and morphology of the village are of special interest and

worthy of policy measures to help conserve such significance.


designation.

Proposed extent of ACA for Rathcoole Village



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Rathfarnham Road, Park and Ballytore Road Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the Rathfarnham Park area

This area consists of three different roads and a number of different residential building types.

Rathfarnham Road comprises a linear development of Edwardian-style semi-detached two-

storey dwellings. Rathfarnham Park is a mix of houses from the 1960s and also from the 1930s

on which some notable Art-Deco motifs can be seen. Ballytore Road is a 1960s cul-de-sac

development including some red-brick houses and some whose design is clearly influenced by

the Art-Deco theme in Rathfarnham Park. Many of the houses have been altered with

replacement of original fabric as well as extensions.


there is no strong basis for South Dublin County Council (SDCC) to consider the formal ACA

designation of the area described around Rathfarnham Park:

While several structures in this area are good examples of developer-led housing from

the early twentieth-century as well as the 1930s and 60s, there is very little original

fabric of note and no particularly outstanding architectural detail or association that

warrents special protection. The area is one of several that changed from being a rural

demesne to a fully developed suburban district in the early twentieth century.

There are some remaining architectural and artistic elements such as recessed porches

with brick arches or carved timber brackets, square Art-Deco breakfront window bays

and common wrought-iron details to boundary fences and gates. Much of the original

architectural fabric such as window frames and doors have been replaced in more

recent decades and there are no features here which are not seen in better condition

and in greater abundance in several other similar aged developments around Dublin.

There have been alterations to extend and enlarge many of these dwellings, and while

they have kept much of their original character from the early twentieth-century, the

original design and character of the houses has been further diluted and they no longer

retain any notably outstanding architectural or historic merit.

Designation of the area delineated around Rathfarnham Park as an ACA would

undermine the value of other ACAs in the Council area. While the area does contain

built heritage of a generally high quality and a few interesting surviving examples of

early twentieth-century fabric, it is not of a comparable standard with other more

worthy candidate ACAs under the responsibility of the Council

On the basis of this review process, JCA have not proceeded with a more detailed

appraisal of the area’s architectural character and development or with compilation of

policy statements or associated mapping.



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Riverside Cottages Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of Riverside Cottages.

This semi-circle arrangement of twenty semi-detached bungalow cottages [House Numbers 1-

20] are situated off the main Templeogue Road, behind the Templeogue tennis club. They front

onto a large green area with the river Dodder forming a natural boundary to the. The cottages

are of buff coloured brick with granite features and red brick projecting porches. Regular

arrangements of vertically orientated window openings and main entrance doorways with

semi-circular fanlights over create a distinctive architectural style in the area. Constructed by

the South Dublin Rural Council, a stone plaque at the estate entrance gives these structures a

1909 date. Designed by T.J Byrne they illustrate his typical style which he applied to many

working class housing schemes throughout the very rural South Dublin area of the early

twentieth-century.




The cottages form a distinctive group with significant architectural and setting interest.

The structures feature mostly well-maintained examples of designs typical of a

celebrated architect and make notable and attractive use of locally sourced materials

As one of the first multiple unit residential developments in the locality, these cottages

also represent significant examples of early urban planning in south Dublin and with the

retention of the open green space and natural riverine boundary to the south of the

houses as well as the lack of high rise or high density development north of the cottages,

much of the original character has been preserved for over one hundred years.

The repeating features of the site which typify its uniform character, including wrought-

iron boundary fences, window-opening shape and frame design, and roof materials,

could be identified within an ACA document as specific items which, if conserved

collectively, lend a great deal to the overall historic character of the area.

Designation of Riverside Cottages as an ACA would help to make sure that any future

development of the existing open space or the area to the rear of the houses could only

take place after the rigourous assessment of proposals for their appropriatness and to

ensure they do not cause significant negative impact on the historic character or visual

amenity of the area.


designation.



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Proposed extent of ACA for Riverside Cottages



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St. Patrick’s Cottages, Grange Road Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the area based around St.

Patrick’s Cottages.

This area consists of fourteen sets of semi-detached cottages (28 houses in total), five sets of

semi-detached, single-storey structures with dormer rooms (10 houses in total) and one terrace

of ten two-storey houses. Built to designs by County architect T.J Byrne of the South Dublin

Rural Council c.1915 for housing the staff and families of the adjacent Silveracres Flour Mill, the

type of single-storey cottages in this development are found scattered throughout the county

corresponding with the early twentieth-century building programme aimed at providing homes

for the working class. They are three bay, with rough-cast render walls, brick quoins and

projecting gabled porches. The roofs are pitched with slate cladding and red-brick chimneys

stacks. The semi-detached dormer dwellings are similar in style and use of materials but with an

additional storey and lucrane window rising from the rear and main façades. The terrace of

houses to the west of the development is of a simpler design with a red brick ground floor and a

rough-cast rendered upper storey. While the four rows of dwellings that formed the original St.

Patricks Cottages housing scheme would have had large rear gardens, improvements in the

sewerage systems meant that the large gardens were no longer required and around the 1960s,

the back yards of cottages were truncated to make way for terraces of two-storey, two bay

houses with flat roofs.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we recommend that South

Dublin County Council (SDCC) give consideration to the formal designation of an


The three early-twentieth century house-types in this development form a distinctive

group with significant architectural interest as well as social interest in that they

provide a contextual understanding for the historic milling industry in the vicinity. The

structures feature mostly well-maintained examples of designs typical of a celebrated

architect and make notable and attractive use of locally sourced materials

As an early-developed residential complex built to respond to the needs of industry in

the otherwise largely rural locality, these cottages also represent significant examples of

early urban planning in south Dublin. Despite the infill of deliberately large rear

gardens in the mid-twentieth century with structures of a compatible scale but of less

architecturally-refined design, the retention of the open green space as well as the lack

of high rise or high density development in the vicinity has helped retain much of the

original character of the area. The historic layout and form of St. Patrick’s Cottages

remains legible notwithstanding the subsequent alterations.

A significant proportion of original fabric and features are extant on the historic

buildings within this area. The repeating elements which typify the area’s coherent

architectural style, including wrought-iron boundary fences, window-opening shape and

frame design, and roof materials, could be identified within an ACA document as



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specific items which, if conserved collectively, lend a great deal to the overall historic

character of the area.

Designation of St. Patrick’s Cottages as an ACA would help to make sure that any future

development of the existing open space or the back-yards of any of the houses could

only take place after the rigorous assessment of proposals for their appropriateness and

to ensure they do not cause significant negative impact on the historic character or

visual amenity of the area.

Despite later alterations to extend and enlarge many of the original dwellings, they have

kept much of their character from the early twentieth-century. Appropriate design of

extensions can ensure their compatibility and even enhancement of the original houses

without impacting negatively on their historic character. Improving the usefulness of

the buildings as family dwellings ensures their continued use and maintenance as such,

which is positive.

Designation of the area delineated around St. Patrick’s Cottages as an ACA would help to

ensure that any proposed developments take into account the value of significant

existing architectural features and do not impact negatively on the historic character or

visual amenity of the area.


designation (see overleaf). We consider the proposed ACA will provide a more

appropriate form of protection for these residential terraces; the majority of which are

currently designated as protected structures. To that end, it is recommended that if the

Planning Authority adopts the proposed ACA that it, in tandem, removes the following

protected structures from the RPS as they will now be located within a formal

Architectural Conservation Area that is designated SPECIFICALLY to recognise and

protect the special architectural heritage value of the area: RPS Refs. 255 & 256 – Nos. 1 & 2 St. Patrick’s Cottages (representing 2 structures to

be removed from RPS)

RPS Refs. 259 – Nos. 15 – 28 St. Patrick’s Cottages (representing 14 structures to be removed from RPS)

RPS Refs. 263 – Nos. 3 – 14 St. Patrick’s Cottages (representing 12 structures to be removed from RPS)



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Proposed extent of ACA for St. Patrick’s Cottages



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Whitechurch Road and Taylor’s Lane Summary opinion on its potential designation as an Architectural Conservation Area




The following is a short summary account of our assessment of the area along Whitechurch

Road and part of Taylor’s Lane.

This area is composed of 12 semi-detached cottages along Whitehall Road, two semi-detached

cottages and two semi-detached, two-storey houses which are congruent with the development

on Taylor's Lane. They follow a linear arrangement along the road on land which rises toward

the southern end of Whitechurch Road. These structures were part of a widespread building

scheme of cottages that were constructed by the South Dublin Rural District Council throughout

the county in the early twentieth-century; the southern-most pair of cottages appear on the

1907 OS map of the area with the remaining houses built sometime in the subsequent decade.

Usually found in groups or clusters, such dwellings were designed by the then county architect

Thomas Joseph Byrne. Typical of Byrne, these buildings are of squared granite construction

with buff coloured brick to gable wall apexes, pitched slate-clad roofs and brick chimney stacks.

They feature distinctive projecting granite porches with segmented fan lights and shallow

segmental arches over the ground floor windows, all elements synonymous with this architect.

While these cottages are common throughout the area, the two-storey examples are of greater

rarity. They are similar to the cottages with a granite ground floor level and buff coloured brick

upper storey.

Having conducted background research and detailed survey work, we recommend that South

Dublin County Council (SDCC) give consideration to the formal designation of an


The early-twentieth century houses in this development form a distinctive group with

significant architectural interest as well as social interest in that they may provide a

contextual understanding for the historic paper-milling industry in the vicinity. The

structures feature well-maintained examples of designs typical of a celebrated architect

and make notable and attractive use of locally sourced materials

As an early-developed residential complex built to respond to the needs of people

working in local industry in the otherwise largely rural locality, these cottages also

represent significant examples of early urban planning in south Dublin. The continued

existance of the Grange Golf Club east of the houses on the site of the former Marlay

Grange lands, coupled with the lack of high rise or high density development in the

vicinity has helped retain much of the original early twentieth-century character of the

area. The historic layout and form of St. Patrick’s Cottages remains legible,

notwithstanding any minor subsequent alterations.

A significant proportion of original fabric and features are extant on the historic

buildings within this area. The repeating elements which typify the area’s coherent

architectural style, including wrought-iron boundary fences, window-opening shape and

frame design, and roof materials, could be identified within an ACA document as specific



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items which, if conserved collectively, lend a great deal to the overall historic character

of the area.

Designation of Whitechurch Road Cottages as an ACA would be an appropriate action to

ensure that any future development of the existing structures and space could only take

place after the rigorous assessment of proposals for their appropriateness and to ensure

they do not cause significant negative impact on the overall historic character or visual

amenity of the area. The current status of all the cottages being protected structures is

more onerous for building owners, increases the responsibility of the planning authority

to ensure the ongoing conservation of the individual structures and takes no account of

the value of the houses as a coherent group. ACA status would provide for protection of

the remaining historic fabric in the area as well as recognising that the historic and

architectural harmony of the development as visible from the public domain, is of key

built heritage importance.


designation (see overleaf). We consider the proposed ACA will provide a more

appropriate form of protection for this group of houses; the majority of which are

currently designated as protected structures. To that end, it is recommended that if the

Planning Authority adopts the proposed ACA that it, in tandem, removes the following

protected structure entry from the RPS as the relevant buildings will now be located

within a formal Architectural Conservation Area that is designated SPECIFICALLY to

recognise and protect the special architectural heritage value of the area: RPS Ref. 306 – Nos. 236 and 237 Taylor’s Lane & Nos. 636 – 659 Whitechurch

Cottages, Rathfarnham (representing 26 structures to be removed from RPS)



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Proposed extent of ACA for Whitechurch Road and Taylor’s Lane

appraisal of candidate architectural conservation … · appraisal of candidate architectural...

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