Planning in Kilkenny is currently "out of control", according to archaeologist John Bradley. He refers to the recent demolition of two Victorian houses on John Street, which are to be replaced by another hotel. "There are no controls." Various versions of plans for a new road through the heart of the city have been voiced. The alteration to the famous facade of a landmark pub, the Marble City Bar - "from red to black, why?" asks Paul Cuddihy - has become a national issue.
Considering the wealth of archaeology, architecture, and heritage in Kilkenny, it is surprising Kilkenny Corporation and Kilkenny County Council have neither a heritage officer nor a conservation officer. However, there are plans to appoint a conservation officer. "We are pursuing the option of a shared conservation officer with another county," says Rose Kenny, personnel officer of Kilkenny County Council. According to Angela McEvoy, a Kilkenny Corporation planner whose responsibilities include "some conservation", attitudes are changing. "Slowly but surely people in Kilkenny are becoming more aware of heritage."
Ian Lumley, heritage officer of An Taisce, is monitoring developments in Kilkenny. Included on his Heritage Watch Register are two 19th-century buildings; the original railway station buildings, largely unused, and St Mary's Almshouse. Situated to the north of the medieval churchyard of St Mary's Church, this building actually features two houses. One is well-maintained and occupied, the other is approaching dangerous levels of neglect and merits restoration.
Lumley's survey of Kilkenny's heritage buildings is dominated by an observation applicable to such properties throughout Ireland - the proliferation of inappropriate uPVC, often outward-opening, replacement windows. The integrity of any building, particularly a period one, lies in its windows.
ANY period building, listed or not, loses a vital part of its soul when timber sash windows are removed and replaced by plastic or metal. Observations noting the use of uPVC replacement windows in Cashel caused some irritation. Yet the most basic conservation policy should place huge importance on the architectural and heritage significance of windows. Existing timber sash windows must be protected.
Lumley suggests that Kilkenny with its internationally recognised heritage status "is in a unique position to take immediate action to ensure the removal of existing uPVC windows that have affected the more important buildings and to set a lead in declaring itself as Ireland's first uPVC-free city."
The Kilkenny City and Environs Development Plan of 1994 includes provision for a window policy relating to period buildings. According to McEvoy, under the Heritage Act 2000, people have begun to avail of the grants on offer. "People are now replacing uPVC with timber sliding sash windows in an effort to return to the original type window." She says action is being taken to "encourage" people to remove uPVC. She agrees with Lumley's suggestion that Kilkenny could become Ireland's first uPVC-free city. "It is possible. Kilkenny has a fair number of original windows. It is presently about half and half between originals, some of them in very good condition, and uPVC replacements."
To the suggestion that a window register, along the lines of the existing architectural register, could help preserve existing windows, encourage their repair and facilitate the removal of uPVC replacements, she says: "Such a register would probably be useful". The responsibility for preservation of period windows lies with the owners of the buildings as well as with the local authority. "Maybe we should do a window survey."
