Paying for the Celtic Tiger: ugliest property development in Meath?

Rebelheart

Five or so years after they've been built and the undisputed winner of the ugliest building development in Meath, as far as everybody I know is concerned, is: Grange Hall, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath.

The people in Meath County Council's planning department who granted permission for this development should be charged with something in a court of this state. There is complete unanimity and even the farmer who sold the land agreed but offered the excuse that Meath County Council insisted upon a certain density of housing as a reason why these houses were designed as they are today. It doesn't wash. It is utterly inexcusable, but we have to pay for this eyesore:






The dark brick alone is so cheap and depressing:



Credit where credit is due to the architects who were, according to the following link, named Terry & O'Flanagan:

http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2004/jul/25/home-on-the-grange/

I'd just love to find the names of the officials in Meath County Council's planning department who granted permission for this horrendously ugly development. Are they accountable to anybody? Is there anything we can do to remove such blots on the local landscape?

What, for you, is the most aesthetically objectionable development in Meath, the land where kings, poets and Na Fianna once triumphed?

endasmail

they are pretty ugly
but they were built as affordable housing ,dont no if ya checked recently but the prices of houses in dunshaughlin is pretty depressing

nearly as depressing as the sight of grange hall:D

Archeron

I have to say Io think Knightsbrook hotel in Trim is hideous. Like a cross between a hotel and the Munsters house.

chewed

This could make for an interesting and amusing thread.

People should post pics of the ugliest developments or houses around Meath!

I have a few in mind, but need to get my camera to take some snaps.

GhostInTheRuins

I'd say this abomination out in ashbourne has to be the one of the ugliest things i've ever seen. These shots do no justice to how horrible it looks from street level. Next time I'm near I'll try to get a snap of them.

spadder

Archeron wrote: »

I have to say Io think Knightsbrook hotel in Trim is hideous. Like a cross between a hotel and the Munsters house.

at least it's out on it's own site. The castle hotel is a disgrace, built so high and close to the Castle.

Dubh Geannain

Good thread



Edit: Ashbourne too by the way

chewed

That is hideous!

chewed

No, this is not a leisure centre or school! It's a lovely bungalow in Bettystown.

Borderfox

spadder wrote: »

at least it's out on it's own site. The castle hotel is a disgrace, built so high and close to the Castle.

Must have been some very large brown envelopes to get that thing up.

I have to agree about Grange Hall too, an affront to the eyes

dixiefly

Archeron wrote: »

I have to say Io think Knightsbrook hotel in Trim is hideous. Like a cross between a hotel and the Munsters house.

I dont agree - the drive through the estate is strange but the houses probably helped fund the hotel which is a fantastic addition to the town.

In my opinion by far the ugliest addition to Trim is the development across the road from the church/ old primary school with fading wood exterior. Also it has an old house stuck in the middle. How planning was ever given is a mystery. I heard it was some guy from Australia on a temp contract that made the decision. Hard to believe but understandable when you see it and its location.

North_West_Art

see your estate in Dunshaughlin? I'll raise you the Marriot hotel in Ashbourne http://images.travelpod.com/users/justandlyndal/europe2007.1185019440.ashbourne-marriott.jpg

chewed

I always thought the Marriot/Ashbourne looks like something out of Thunderbirds!

solice

chewed wrote: »

I always thought the Marriot/Ashbourne looks like something out of Thunderbirds!

I think the Marriot is quiet a nice building. Its in an odd location, all on its own at the far end of the town. But as a building its quiet nice.

The planning in Meath is shocking! Ashbourne Town Centre consists of a few small shops, a giant multi storey car park and a mass of apartments of which the majority are empty. It will be a ghetto in a few years!

endasmail

dixiefly wrote: »

I dont agree - the drive through the estate is strange but the houses probably helped fund the hotel which is a fantastic addition to the town.

In my opinion by far the ugliest addition to Trim is the development across the road from the church/ old primary school with fading wood exterior. Also it has an old house stuck in the middle. How planning was ever given is a mystery. I heard it was some guy from Australia on a temp contract that made the decision. Hard to believe but understandable when you see it and its location.

i think any building with the cedar finishing ,and it hasnt been finished right ,makes the building look dull and drab

its a shame really as most of the time the buildings are decent

Stroke Politics

There's an apartment block at the junction of Johnstown and the Kentstown road that is woedious altogether. It's been unoccupied for the best part of 3 years, and looks more like the C Wing of a young offenders residential centre than a place for people to live. it's not weathering particularly well either. Can't think of the name of it, and no pics to show, unfortunately.....

Fiskar

Stroke Politics wrote: »

There's an apartment block at the junction of Johnstown and the Kentstown road that is woedious altogether. It's been unoccupied for the best part of 3 years, and looks more like the C Wing of a young offenders residential centre than a place for people to live. it's not weathering particularly well either. Can't think of the name of it, and no pics to show, unfortunately.....

Supposed to be a problem with subsidence originally, how on earth they (MCC) let it go ahead in the first place is beyond belief. Heard lately the NE healthboard were moving people in. Saw lights and some activity on inside during the week so something is going on.

My vote though on the ugliest development has to be that Grange Hall in Dunshaughlin, it is hideous with such a false facade and a total waste of bricks and mortar. It looks like something high winds would love to get hold of. Given how the sardine cans roofs on apartments in Dublin fare with high winds , I wouldn't bet on it happening either.

lynchysparks

let us not forget the black box droped from outer space on to the side of the roundabout in navan
http://www.shopinnavan.ie/v1/page.asp?pg=196

Stroke Politics

lynchysparks wrote: »

let us not forget the black box droped from outer space on to the side of the roundabout in navan
http://www.shopinnavan.ie/v1/page.asp?pg=196

Personally I think this building is quite attractive and a very good use of a tight space. The concrete bunker behind it is a crime against landscapes......

mcwhirter

Fiskar wrote: »

Supposed to be a problem with subsidence originally, how on earth they (MCC) let it go ahead in the first place is beyond belief. Heard lately the NE healthboard were moving people in. Saw lights and some activity on inside during the week so something is going on.

My vote though on the ugliest development has to be that Grange Hall in Dunshaughlin, it is hideous with such a false facade and a total waste of bricks and mortar. It looks like something high winds would love to get hold of. Given how the sardine cans roofs on apartments in Dublin fare with high winds , I wouldn't bet on it happening either.

I heard it was unoccupied because the bulider had no planning permission, blood ugly though, really grim looking.:mad:

Rebelheart

mcwhirter wrote: »

I heard it was unoccupied because the bulider had no planning permission, blood ugly though, really grim looking.:mad:

Speaking of not having planning permission, does anybody know what happened that plumber, Michael Murray, who built a massive house in Bohermeen only to be instructed by An Bord Pleanála to demolish it in 2008?

The Bord Pleanála order made The Irish Times on 7 February 2008, with a photo of the huge house:

http://tinyurl.com/ya5exkf

(if this doesn't work, google "Michael Murray", "Irish Times" and "Bohermeen".)