Green light for limited renovations to church

Bord Pleanála has given the Diocese of Kerry permission to carry out some, but not all, of the extensive renovations and reordering, it considers necessary to the parish church of St John in Ballybunion.

Heritage body An Taisce had objected on the grounds that some of the proposals were exceptionally invasive on a protected structure.

The church was designed by the architect George Ashlin in 1894 and is a protected building under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

An Taisce described it as "the outstanding building in Ballybunion".

However, the inclusion of churches in the diocese as protected structures in town and county council development plans has drawn criticism from the Bishop of Kerry.

Dr Bill Murphy argued strongly that the rules of architectural conservation should not be set in stone, as it were, when it came to churches.

The plans in Ballybunion include rearranging the altar rails and the baptismal font, extending the sacristy and installing underfloor heating as well as restoring tiered seating and to carrying out landscaping and disabled access.

Kerry Co Council had granted permission to St Brendan’s Trust — the property arm of the diocese — with conditions laid down about the re-use of the altar rails and other works.

However, An Taisce who had voiced objections to the council, that the works proposed were "exceptionally invasive", appealed the decision.

The heritage body raised questions about the implications for the mosaic floor of the church, about the effect of tiered seating on blocking out the stained glass windows and argued strongly against the extension of the sacristy.

For its part, the diocese said the works it wanted to do did respect the architectural character of the church and enhanced it in a manner to facilitate worship .

It asked the board to "strike a realistic balance between the significance of building function and fabric" and stressed the needs of the living church vis-a-vis the building.

It was "unreasonable" to insist that the tiered seating should not interfere with the views of the stained glass, the church argued.

Bord Pleanála has granted overall permission but has upheld much of the concerns raised by An Taisce. The removal of the altar rails and extension of the sacristy will not be allowed.

And the board has reduced the tiers of seating to two so as not to interfere with the stained glass.