Dear Editor,
I am writing to you to express my concerns in relation to the proposed zonings of Westport House Demesne which will permit tourism accommodation as well as a hotel or conference centre to be built adjacent to Westport House.
The proposals include allowing large single structure buildings i.e. a hotel. hostel or conference centre to be built near the house in the area of the front lawn and to allow holiday accommodation to be built inside the gates at Hotel Westport, down as far as the old zoo.
At the meeting of the 28th of July I raised my objections to both these provisions but no other councillor shared my concerns or would second my motions opposing them.
As a result these proposals are now contained within the current Westport Town and Environs Plan for Westport which will be voted on by Westport Town councillors at a meeting later in the year.
I am concerned that there is a very low level of awareness of these proposals and am concerned also by the damage such proposals would do to the fabric of Westport House Demesne.
In the 1950s Westport Urban District Council acquired by compulsory purchase order a large section of the Demesne on the Newport Road, this was later followed by the development of what is now Westport Woods Hotel and more recently the development of Westport's waste treatment plant on the Golf Course Road. If we continue to allow elements of the estate to be parceled of for development there will be nothing left of the estate's great heritage.
There are many positives within the plan including a visitors' centre detailing the life of Granuaile, the revamping of the existing tourism facilities including new accommodation in the vicinity of the farmyard and campsites and the development of the estate as concert and public event venue.
However I would urge those who share my concerns in relation to protecting the historic core of Westport House to contact their local representatives and councilors and make their feelings known before it goes to a vote.
Sincerely
Keith Martin
Councillor
Westport Town Council
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