The present tenants informed me that, in the past, the Dept of Archaeology has visited Castle Hotel and given them specific instructions, as to what kind of repairs they could or, could not do, due to the archaeological and historic value of the building
Cave & Co., a well-known Colombo enterprise founded by H.W. Cave who arrived in Ceylon from England in 1872. “The present tenants have, however, verified they transformed the building into a hotel in 1875, which would mean the building is at least 141-years-old,” she pointed out.
Ms Philip confessed in her letter that, efforts to find out what would become of Castle Hotel had proved futile. There was talk that Tata Housing will use it as an office space for employees. This would require them to carry out extensive renovations to make it more habitable.
“The present tenants informed me that, in the past, the Dept of Archaeology has visited Castle Hotel and given them specific instructions, as to what kind of repairs they could or, could not do, due to the archaeological and historic value of the building,” Ms Philip told the Dept.
In response to her appeal it be listed under the Antiquities Act, the Archaeology Dept sent a team to inspect the building. In June 2016, Director General Senerath Dissanayake wrote to the Urban Development Authority (UDA)--the agency overseeing the Tata Housing project--saying his officers have determined that the 141-year-old Castle Hotel must be preserved.
“Its architectural style appears to belong to the British colonial era,” Dr Dissanayake told the UDA. “As such, when this building is being developed by the Tata project, I request that instructions be given to the relevant institution, not to make any alterations that would damage its historic and architectural value.”
But, in May 2017--amidst torrential rains, floods and landslides--the Castle Hotel was taken down. This week, the UDA said the Archaeology Dept had issued written permission for the edifice to be demolished. The latter confirmed it. Between June 2016 and May 2017, the Dept took no steps to gazette Castle Hotel as a protected monument. So, there was nothing standing in the way of it being razed to the ground.
Under the law, any monument constructed before March 2, 1815, is automatically protected. Something erected after that date needs to be gazetted by the relevant minister. Despite its initial assessment that Castle Hotel deserved to be preserved, the Archaeology Dept reversed its decision.
Tata Housing, meanwhile, absolved itself of responsibility. A spokesman said the project was still in a planning state and the company has not started any work on the site. This is correct. The mixed development part of the Slave Island initiative falls under Phase II, which is yet to receive the necessary approvals for construction.
The UDA says the paperwork is on the verge of being completed. It claimed that, the first two floors of whatever Tata erects on the Castle Hotel plot will possesses the same facade and aesthetics of the old building. Every line and angle was measured and recorded before it was torn down, insisted Prasad Ranaweera, UDA Director (Project Management). The new designs were made in close consultation with the Archaeology Dept.
Mr Ranaweera also said the Castle Hotel was “decayed and about to tumble down”. “It was like a hellhole inside,” he maintained. “It was not maintained for years by the tenants. There was nothing even to salvage. It would have collapsed.”
The Sunday Times could not obtain independent verification that the building was structurally weak. But an independent source did confirm that, “There is a proposal in the new development to accommodate the same architecture and facades.”
Curiously, Mr Ranaweera said he never received Dr Dissanayake’s letter instructing the UDA of the historic and architectural value of Castle Hotel. He only got communication saying the demolition could go ahead as the relevant building was not a listed monument.