Call for Mallow’s former Central Hotel to be razed to the ground
CLLRS HAVE POWER TO DE-LIST BUILDING - REMOVING ONE POSSIBLE OBSTACLE TO ITS DEMOLITION
THE derelict former Central Hotel in Mallow has once again come under the spotlight, with local county councillors calling for the abandoned building to be demolished.
Senior council executive Mary Hayes told Kanturk/Mallow area councillors that following the recent fire at the building the authority has been in contact with its owners, requesting they put together a detailed proposal outlining their future plans for the site.
“At our request, they have secured the site. Meanwhile, we have taken emergency measures to protect the safety of the public,” said Ms Hayes.
These measures have included the erection of a protective barrier along the footpath outside of the building, in addition to a protective cover on its facade, put in place a number of years ago by the authority.
However, Cllr Gearóid Murphy (FF) said the saga over the former hotel has been going on for far too long, and a more permanent solution to the issue is now required.
“The first step must be to make it safe in the short to medium term by either carrying out repairs to the structure or, as has been suggested by many people, demolish the whole building,” said Cllr Murphy.
“More importantly, there has to be a longer-term plan put in place for the building. There is no point in having a shell of a building, a pile of rubble or an empty site in the heart of the town for the next five or ten years. There needs to be a comprehensive plan in place and the money to back it up, wherever that money comes from,” he added.
Cllr James Kennedy (Lab) was more direct in his approach, repeating his previous calls for the building to be razed to the ground.
“I hope to God the building will be torn down because it is an eyesore. There is also a safety issue, given there have been five fires in the building since it was abandoned,” he said.
Cllr Kennedy said it was his understanding that a protection order on the facade of the building was one of the reasons behind a seeming reluctance to redevelop the site.
“It is unconscionable that the facade should be allowed to stand after the latest fire. It is vital that it, too, be demolished as it would be so much easier to develop the site from the ground up. The facade of the building is clearly unsafe, so keeping it is ridiculous,” he said.
Cllr Gerard Murphy suggested one avenue the council could take, pointing out it is a reserved function of councillors, on the advice of officials, to remove the protected designation on a structure if it is deemed to pose a danger to the public.
“If a building is considered to be unsafe or an eyesore, and there is a genuine concern it won’t be developed if it remains listed, then we have the power to de-list it,” he said.
Ms Hayes said the council’s approach would depend on the findings of a report into the structural integrity of the building.
“Our first role here is a regulatory one. We have to take an evidence-based approach, based on a structural engineer’s report,” said Ms Hayes.
She said a preliminary report into the condition of the building had already been compiled, and the authority was awaiting a more in-depth one, which would inform any future decisions.
“Once we have that report in our possession we can decide on the next course of action,” she said.