Part 8 Proposed Redevelopment of The Wonderful Barn P82024.10

Part 8 Proposed Redevelopment of The Wonderful Barn P82024.10

Planning Reference: P82024.10

Location: Barnhall, Leixlip, Co. Kildare

Project: Redevelopment of The Wonderful Barn

Protected Structure Reference Number: B11-15 Wonderful Barn Complex

In accordance with Part 8, Article 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended), Kildare County Council hereby gives notice to carry out the following development:

The proposed redevelopment of the Wonderful Barn aims to restore the existing structures on the site, including one house, one barn (two dovecotes, a walled garden and two adjacent courtyards containing two stable buildings (all protected structures – RPS no. B11-15). The proposed works will protect and enhance the architectural heritage and amenity of the site and provide an integrated public amenity park and tourism destination at the Wonderful Barn and associated lands, informed by a detailed conservation plan. The project is aimed at fostering community engagement, provision of diverse recreational and cultural amenities and to attract tourism to the site.

The proposed redevelopment includes:

A) Conservation-led restoration and reuse of the existing building complex including:

• The barn (corkscrew-shaped conical tower), reuse of ground floor as community/cultural space, reuse of upper floors within confines of limited access for other use. Conversion of existing ‘potato house’ to toilets/first floor add-on general storage area.
• The house, including demolition of small quantum of existing fabric to reinstate integrity of protected structures, provision of improved access at rear of the house for community reuse.
• Reuse of existing stable buildings to facilitate re-use as café and multipurpose community/meeting rooms, other community activities, including events, classes, and gatherings. Provision of a 115sqm extension to former stable buildings to provide a commercial kitchen and café with a southern outlook into the historic walled working vegetable garden amenity including external vents.
• Dedicated space within Barnhall House to highlight the context of the structure’s past, key historic events, architectural features. 
• Restoration of both dovecotes (conical towers) and adjacent courtyards.
• Walled garden restoration, including small scale intervention to facilitate proposed café, relocation of existing temporary roadway to be outside of the garden.
• Provision of security, including CCTV. 
• Exterior lighting to the Barn to highlight the structure.

B) Upgrade works at existing site entrance from R404 including.

• Provision of new carpark with 65 no. of carparking spaces and 28 no. of bike parking spaces and 4 bus parking spaces.
• Accommodation works to provide access to existing Uisce Éireann water services pumphouse, to include landscape screening works.

C) Redevelopment of existing parkland to include

• Redevelopment of the current 55 no. allotments to realign the plots within the restored historical landscape axes and provide new and improved facilities for the local allotment users.
• Provision of a new 174sqm building to the East of the existing building complex which will provide a storage facility to replace an existing container on site, new toilets, kitchenette, and workshop facilities for the local allotment user group as well as short term workplace facilities for the KCC Parks Department. Provision of water and power outlet market facilities adjacent to the new building to accommodate weekly/monthly local markets.
• Installation of children’s play-area, fitness stations, sport areas and other ancillary open space facilities.  Upgrade of existing/ addition of new combined footpath/cycle-paths throughout the site with associated new street furniture, seating, and public lighting throughout the parkland, new wayfinding and signage throughout the parkland, facilities for existing park user groups, eg dog walking facilities. 
• The proposed internal route will link to the Celbridge/Backweston to Leixlip cycle route proposed (by others) to the south via the Kildare Innovation Campus (formerly the Hewlett Packard site) and via the M4 pedestrian/cycle overpass. The proposed internal route within the Wonderful Barn site allows for future connections to planned cycle infrastructure improvements along the R404 Celbridge Road towards Leixlip Town Centre, to be delivered by Kildare County Council.
• Protection and reinstatement of the axial views within the site boundary between Castletown House and the Wonderful Barn and undergrounding of overhead cables.
• Protection and reinstatement of the integrity of the historic landscape including the Southern and South-Western formal tree lined avenues and forecourt to Barnhall House, formal planting of the walled garden, formal planting of the historic orchard to the Northwest of the building complex and an historic tree line and hedgerow to the Northern boundary of the courtyards.
• Improve overall park accessibility for residents of all ages and abilities throughout the park.
• Soft and hard landscaping, including sustainable landscaping practices to enhance biodiversity and environmental sustainability. New conservation-led woodland planting and motorway screening planting.
• Sensitive design and mitigation measures to minimize environmental impact on native habitat preservation.

D) other works

• Realignment and improvements to pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access to site including all necessary infrastructure works required to integrate the site with a proposed M4 Cycle/Walkway bridge.
• Proposed noise barrier to protect the site from adjacent motorway noise nuisance.
• Provision of all utilities, necessary services, drainage works and associated site works.

The proposal has undergone Appropriate Assessment Screening under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), and the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, and the European Communities (Bird and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 - 2015. Kildare County Council has determined that the proposed development will not have a significant effect on a European Site and an Appropriate Assessment is not required.

The proposal has also undergone screening for Environmental Impact Assessment under the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU and the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. Having regard to the provisions of the legislation, the nature and scale of the proposed development, the information provided in accordance with Schedule 7A of the Regulations, and having regard to the scale, nature and location of the proposed impacts, the potential impacts and proposed mitigation measures and the results of the any other relevant assessments of the effects on the environment, Kildare County Council has determined that there is no real likelihood of significant effects on the environment arising from the proposed development and that an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required.

In accordance with Section 120 of the Planning and Development Regulations (as amended) any person may, within 4 weeks from the date of this notice, apply to An Bord Pleanála for a screening determination as to whether the development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment.

Plans and particulars of the proposed development, Ref. No. P82024.10, will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during normal opening times at Kildare County Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 X77F, from  9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday for a period of 6 weeks from Friday, 07 June 2024 to Friday, 19 July 2024 (inclusive).

To facilitate public access, a copy of the plans and particulars will be available for viewing only in both Celbridge and Leixlip libraries, during normal opening times from 7 June 2024 to 19 July 2024:

• Celbridge Library, St Patrick’s Park, Celbridge, Co Kildare W23 VA47
• Leixlip Library, Captain's Hill, Leixlip, Co Kildare, W23 WR96

Details of the proposed development are also available on Kildare County Council's website online at: https://kildarecoco.ie/AllServices/Planning/Part8Schemes/StrategicProjectsandPublicRealm/index.html 

Submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development will be situated, may be made to: A/Senior Executive Officer, Strategic Projects and Public Realm Team, Housing and Regeneration Department, Level 3, Kildare County Council, at the address below, or online here

Submissions must be made no later than 5.00 pm on Friday, 19 July 2024. All submissions and observations should be headed:

‘Part 8 Proposed Redevelopment of The Wonderful Barn P82024.10.’

All comments, including the names of those making comments submitted to the Council regarding the scheme as outlined above, will form part of the statutorily required report to be presented at a meeting of the elected members. Accordingly, they will also be included in the minutes of that meeting and may appear in the public domain.

Address: Pamela Pender, A/Senior Executive Officer, Strategic Projects and Public Realm Team, Housing and Regeneration Department, Kildare County Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 X77F.