Chapter 14 - Built Heritage.pdf - Offaly County Council

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OFFALY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2009 - 2015Volume 1 - Written StatementCHAPTER 14: BUILT HERITAGEAIMOffaly County Council will seek to conserve, protect andenhance Offaly’s built heritage where possible. TheCouncil will aim to strike a reasonable balance betweenconservation and development objectives in theinterests of the proper planning and sustainabledevelopment of the county. The Council will continueto protect, conserve and enhance buildings, areas,structures, sites and features of special architectural,historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific,social or technical interest.CONTEXT‘Built heritage’ is the term used to describe buildings,places and sites which have acquired special interestand values through time and as such, warrantprotection and preservation, where feasible. It is ourduty within society to try and pass on this heritage tofuture generations, whilst being sympathetic topossible re-use if this is the only possible way thatensures the survival of such heritage.The first time that agreed international principles werelaid down was in the Athens Charter of 1931. TheCharter was reviewed and updated in 1964 in theVenice Charter, which deals with the conservation ofhistoric buildings, the Burra Charter for theconservation of places of cultural significance (1979)and the Washington Charter of 1987 which deals withhistoric towns and districts. These charters werepublished by ICOMOS (the International Committee forMonuments and Sites).STRATEGY14.1 The European Convention on theProtection of the ArchaeologicalHeritage (Valetta, 1992)The European Convention on the Protection of theArchaeological Heritage requires that archaeologicalheritage is taken account of in the developmentprocess. This convention also includes the setting andcontext of archaeological sites as part of thearchaeological heritage that requires protection.Ireland ratified this Convention in 1997, and as such islegally bound by it.14.2 National Monuments ActsThe National Monuments Acts 1930 - 2004 provide forthe protection of archaeological heritage. The Record ofMonuments and Places (RMP) was established underSection 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment)Act 1994 and structures, features, objects or sites listedin this record are known as Recorded Monuments. Aswell as extending protection to all known sites, theNational Monuments Acts 1930 - 2004 extendsprotection to all previously unknown archaeologicalitems and sites that are uncovered through grounddisturbance or the accidental discovery of sites locatedunderwater. Where necessary, the Minister for theEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government will issuepreservation orders to ensure protection is afforded tosites believed to be under threat.14.3 National Heritage Plan 2002A key objective of the National Heritage Plan (2002)seeks to ”place heritage at the heart of public life”. Theplan recognises that heritage is communal and we allshare a responsibility to protect it. Protection ofheritage must begin at local level enabling everybodyto become actively involved in preserving andenhancing the heritage of County Offaly.14.4 Offaly Heritage Plan 2007 - 2011The Offaly Heritage Plan is the second Heritage Plan tobe prepared and published for the county and itoutlines a five-year, specific action plan of work to becarried out in County Offaly, overseen by the OffalyHeritage Forum. The programme delivery is co-ordinatedby the Offaly Heritage Office and lists a number ofactions to be undertaken over the Heritage Plan Period.The Council will continue to work with the HeritageForum in relation to achieving its targets over thisCounty Development Plan period.14.5 Architectural Heritage ProtectionGuidelinesThe Architectural Heritage Protection Guidelines,published by the Department of the Environment,Heritage and Local Government (DoEHLG) in 2004 giveguidance to planning authorities on the application ofPart IV of the Planning and Development Act and dealwith protected structures and ArchitecturalConservation Areas in considerable detail. In addition,the DoEHLG has also published guidelines on theprotection of places of worship entitled ArchitecturalHeritage Protection for Places of Worship.Chapter 14 | Built Heritage | page 133
OFFALY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2009 - 2015Volume 1 - Written StatementOffaly County Council is committed to identifying andprotecting the built heritage of the county and willcontinue to do so in line with the relevant guidelinesand plans as outlined above.14.6 Architectural Conservation14.6.1 Protected StructuresThe Planning and Development Acts 2000 - 2006 statethe Planning Authority’s obligation in relation tostructures that are worthy of protection.For the purpose of protecting structures, or parts ofstructures, which form part of the architectural heritageand which are of special architectural, historical,archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social ortechnical interest, every development plan shall include arecord of protected structures, and shall include in thatrecord every structure which is, in the opinion of the planningauthority, of such interest within its functional area 1 .An inventory of structures of architectural heritage wasproduced for Offaly in 2006 as part of the NationalInventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH), by theDepartment of Environment, Heritage and LocalGovernment (DoEHLG). The Minister for theEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government hasmade recommendations for 1,210 structures in Offaly tobe listed as protected structures. This list includes thosestructures within the administrative areas of TullamoreTown Council and Birr Town Council. Therefore thestructures contained to these two areas are to beincluded as part of the Tullamore Town & EnvironsDevelopment Plan 2010-2016 and Birr Town & EnvironsDevelopment Plan 2010-2016.Where a structure is protected by its inclusion withinthe Record of Protected Structures, planningpermission is required for any alteration internally orexternally, which affects its character. Owners oroccupiers may seek a declaration from the PlanningAuthority as to the type of work which the PlanningAuthority considers would not materially affect thecharacter of the structure. Owners or occupiers areencouraged to consult with the Planning Authority ingood time as to the appropriateness of proposed worksand, as necessary, to seek competent advice on the bestpractice for carrying out such works. Under current1 Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006, Part IV, Section 51(1)legislation, protected structure status automaticallyincludes the curtilage of the buildings listed.14.6.2 Alterations / Extension of ProtectedStructuresThe Council will ensure that the alteration or extensionsto protected buildings and structures will only bepermitted if the proposals are in keeping with thecharacter of the building and preserve the architecturaland historic features of the building or structure. ThePlanning & Development Acts 2000 - 2006 removesexempted development rights where works to aprotected structure will materially affect the characterof the structure. Planning permission will be requiredwhere such works are proposed.14.6.3 Change of Use of Protected StructuresThe Council will favourably consider the change of useof any building listed for protection provided that sucha change of use does not seriously impact on itsintrinsic character.14.6.4 Demolition of Protected StructuresThere is a presumption against the demolition ofprotected structures. Planning permission is necessaryto demolish a protected structure and this presumptionexists within the context of any application for planningpermission for any protected structure and is governedby Section 57 (10)(b) of the Planning & DevelopmentActs 2000 - 2006. The Council will strongly resist thedemolition of any buildings or structure listed forprotection, unless the Council is satisfied thatexceptional circumstances exist.14.6.5 Architectural Conservation AreasArchitectural Conservation Areas comprise a place, anarea, or group of structures or part of a townscape,which is of special architectural, historical,archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social ortechnical interest or contributes to the appreciation ofprotected structures; and which is listed as such an areain the County Development Plan. It may or may notinclude protected structures.Objectives to preserve the character of ArchitecturalConservation Areas (ACA’s) which the planningauthority considers are of special architectural,historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific,social or technical interest or value, or contribute to theChapter 14 | Built Heritage | page 134
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Chapter 14 - Built Heritage.pdf - Offaly County Council

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