Kindlestown House Set For 85 Dwellings

Kindlestown House in its prime 1938

e were wondering when the fate of Dr Ryan’s old place on Convent Road would be decided once it went up for sale in June 2021.

And it seems it’s about to become the centre piece for yet another new Greystones estate.

With planning for 58 recommended in the 2021 sale, 85 dwellings are being applied for by the quite possibly dyslexic Beakonshaw Hill Ltd. If approved, the metropolis makeover of this Chapel Road area will be complete, with five new estates and over 275 houses in the last five years all touching fingers around St Laurence’s National School.

Finally making it onto the Wicklow Planning six days later, the site notice for #23276 outlines the development as…

85 dwellings (55 apartments – 15no.1 bedroom, 23no.2-bedroom, 16 no.3 bedroom and 30 houses – 2no.2 bedroom, 22n.3 bedroom and 6no.4 bedroom) and a creche (104 sq.metres). The apartments are in 3 blocks – (1). 5 storey (4 storey plus penthouse) with 18 units, (2). 3 storey with 17 units, (3). 4 storey (3 storey plus penthouse) with 14 units, all over a basement/podium with car parking, motorcycle, bicycle parking spaces and associated storage areas. 6 apartments are also proposed units in Kindlestown House.

Part of the development is accessed off Chapel Road. The existing entrance is re-designed as a pedestrian access and a new vehicular entrance proposed alongside. This will serve the apartments in Kindlestown House, the creche, 2 houses in converted outbuildings and 2 bungalows. The remainder of the development will be accessed off the road network, under construction, in Churchlands to the east of the site, via Delgany Wood and Glen. The proposed development includes site development and landscaping works and tree planting.

Restoration and refurbishment works will be carried out to Kindlestown House (a Protected Structure), to include a first-floor conservatory and also to the adjoining outbuildings, including the demolition of two sheds.

Kindlestown House 7MAR23

Two habitable dwellings and associated outbuildings comprising of derelict stables and storage units in the southern part of the site will also be demolished. All on a site of 2.67 hectares at Kindlestown House, Chapel Road, Delgany.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the office of the planning authority during its public opening hours. the planning application may be viewed online at www.wicklow.ie under planning online enquiries.

Filed on March 21st, the pre-validation for 85 dwellings on Kindlestown House is case no.23276. Submissions by April 23rd, decision on May 15th. Submissions can be emailed to plandev@wicklowcoco.ie, and your €20 paid on 040420100. Planning objections info here, Wicklow Planning here.

Put on the market almost two years ago by Savills on the instructions of receiver BDO, the Italianate villa Kindlestown House was built circa 1860, becoming home to Dr James Ryan and Máirin Ryan (nee Cregan) from the 1920s onwards. There, the couple raised their three kids there whilst also, respectively, founding Fianna Fail and becoming an acclaimed author.

Jim and Máirin were also heavily involved in the 1916 uprising, whilst their contributions to the local area includes donating neighbouring land to the community – where we now find St Laurence’s National School and the Churchfields sports fields as well as the Dr Ryan Community Centre. 

Click the pic for a history kick

Thankfully, the main Kindlestown House building – which teetered on dereliction and vandalism for some years before CCTV cameras were installed – is on Wicklow County Council’s conservation list, as are some of the ancient trees, but there’s enough land around it, apparently, for 85 homes.

In the meantime, you can check out local historian Rosemary Raughter’s take on Kindlestown House and its famous residents right about here.