Councillors approve conservation and rehabilitation works on historic walled garden

Conservation and rehabilitation works planned for a 200-year-old walled garden in Castlerea have been formally approved by councillors.

At a meeting of Roscommon Municipal District on Monday, elected members signed off on a Part 8 development which will see the council carry out works on the existing walls at Bennett’s walled garden at the Demesne along with a series of other works.

The scheme will include conservation and rehabilitation works to the existing masonry walls; the installation of new gravel paths within the garden; the construction of a new wheelchair accessible parking area; soft landscaping; the installation of a new planter bench; and a new maintenance vehicle access route.

An orchard had been in existence since the 1800s at the 200-year-old walled garden, which is the last surviving part of the old Sandford Estate.

Earlier this century, a local man Foley Bennett ran a successful business from the garden selling fruit and flowers. The council subsequently acquired the site.

Monday’s Roscommon MD meeting was told that the development, which is in partnership with the local community, will provide a relaxing, outdoor setting for people and restore a neglected area of the town.

Fianna Fáil councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice, who has led the project and welcomed its approval, sought a number of amendments to the Part 8 plans.

His primary amendment was that the walls of the house on the site would also be included in the rehabilitation works. Cllr Fitzmaurice explained that structural repair was needed on the house from a safety point of view.

He also asked that the glasshouse walls on the site would be retained for planting purposes.

Damien Loughnane of Roscommon County Council informed the meeting that all the walls in the orchard would be maintained, and in response to a query from Fine Gael councillor Ruth Conboy, he said that there was no provision for lighting or services for the project in the current Part 8 plan.

The walled garden works were welcomed by all councillors, who paid tribute to Cllr Fitzmaurice for his work on the development.

“This is a very positive step for the orchard and the Demesne in Castlerea,” said the councillor.

*Published under the Local Democracy Scheme