Plan for five-storey building on the site of former infirmary raises objections

Two submissions objecting to the height of the proposed five-storey building that forms part of the redevelopment of the infirmary site and the adjacent Banba Hall in Navan, have been lodged with Meath County Council.

Navan Historical Society and Navan Union of Parishes have both made submissions raising concerns about the height of the new five-storey building that is proposed as part overall redevelopment of the site off the Fair Green in Navan.

While welcoming works to repair and conserve the old infirmary building, both submissions have objected to the five-storey element of the plans.

Navan Historical Society felt it would "change and dominate the skyline", and that it "does not sit well amid the church spires and alongside the old infirmary which is the oldest building in the town", while Navan Union of Parishes has significant concerns that the scale of the building would be "very imposing on the streetscape and particularly amongst the adjacent heritage buildings".

In February, Colum and Colette Geraghty lodged a planning application to convert the now derelict infirmary building on Bridge Street, which is a protected structure, into apartments and to construct a new five-storey apartment block on the site. The proposal also includes the refurbishment of the old Banba Hall on the Fair Green, into a coffee shop, deli and restaurant.

The mixed-use development includes 22 residential units, car and cycle parking, coffee shop, deli and restaurant in three blocks with a total floor area of 2,509 square metres. The plans also include the demolition of existing single storey flat roof structures on the southeast and northwest facing elevations of the infirmary building, and the demolition of the existing two-storey pitched roof structure to the northwest facing elevation.

The submission from Navan Union of Parishes suggests that the new building should be limited to three-storey.

"While we welcome the upgrading to the infirmary and the improvements proposed for this heritage building that is fast becoming a ruin, together with the upgrading of the Banba Hall, we have significant concerns that the scale of a five-storey building as proposed in Block B would be very imposing on the streetscape and particularly amongst the adjacent heritage buildings. Therefore, we object to the apparent excessive height of Block B and we recommend that the height of Block B should be limited to a three-storey building. Similarly, we also recommend that the height of the three-storey building proposed in Block A2 should not exceed the height of the existing infirmary."

Navan Union of Parishes has also raised concerns about plans to demolish two single storey buildings which it states are presently attached to the retaining wall of St Mary's Church of Ireland graveyard and that the "potential for damage to the existing graveyard wall adjoining the infirmary site is a major cause for concern."

"There will be a major health and safety concern to be taken into consideration before any preparatory site work is undertaken on the north side of the infirmary site, where it is proposed to demolish two single storey buildings which are presently attached to St Mary's Church of Ireland graveyard retaining wall," the submission states.

Navan Historical Society welcomed the repair and conservation of the old infirmary in its submission but raised concerns about the height of the new building.

"We have serious concerns regards the height of the proposed five storey building as illustrated in photo montages by Frank Ennis and Associates. We feel that this building is at odds with the vernacular architecture in its immediate vicinity, and that it will change and dominate the skyline, not necessarily to any advantage.

"The very modern nature of the proposed five storey building, and its elevated position in an historic part of Navan town, does not, in our opinion, sit well amid the church spires and alongside the old infirmary which is the oldest building in the town. For this reason we wish to lodge a formal objection to this structure."

In the submission, Navan Historical Society welcomes the overall commitment to repair/conserve the original features as noted in the conservation report and also welcomes that the facade at the front of the old infirmary, including the plaque dated 1754 (I was sick and you visited me...St Matthew) appears to be protected and will be retained.

They also welcome the commitment to restore and repair the front railings, piers and plinth on Bridge Street and ask that when working on the perimeter wall on Bridge Street that the plaque commemorating the role of the infirmary in treating those who were injured during the Battle of Ashbourne in 1916 be protected.

Navan Historical Society has also requested that any original artefacts from the interior that are not deemed suitable for re-use be given to the Meath County Archive or Navan Historical Society for preservation. Both submissions also refer to an image in the Architectural Heritage Impact Assessment Report which Navan Union of Parishes states is St Mary's Church of Ireland in Kentstown rather than St Mary's Church of Ireland in Navan and ask for it to be withdrawn, while Navan Historical Society sought clarification on the image, stating that it appears to be St Mary's Church of Ireland in Kentstown. A decision is due on the plans on 17th April.

The County of Meath Infirmary is one of Navan Town's oldest buildings, dating back to 1754. It was used as a respite facility by the HSE until late 2010 and was put on the market after the new Beaufort Community Nursing Unit on the Athboy Road was built.

The building will have memories for those who were married at a time when the registry of births, marriages and deaths was based there, and civil marriage ceremonies also took place there.