User:Dumelow/Mourne Park House

Private Eye 1548 28 May 2021. Nooks and Corners p21: County Down. Plans to turn it into a luxury hotel and Spa. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council planning officers recommended against granting consent but the councillors supported. Decision will be made by the Northerb Iteland Department for Infrastructure. Was "one of the grandest country houses in Northern Ireland". Dates to 26th century when Sir Nicholas Bagnell was granted land by Edward VI. B+ listed. Has views of the mountains of Mourne and carlingford lough. Current house built around 1806 by Francis Needham. Home of the Earls of Kilmorey. Used in wwii as a logistics site for the Normandy landings. Owner Marion Needham Russell inherited House and placed it up for sale in 2008. Priced at 10 million: "there's a really exciting future for Mourne Park but it's not for me to do, not any longer. We've already put so much of ourselves into the house ... [it] could be developed without destroying the curtilage of the place". Main building largely destroyed by fire in 2013, roof collapse ruined sale prospect. Needham Russell commissioned an architect to draw up plans for a 126 room 5 star Hotel with spa. Planners recommended refusal due to "significant detrimental impact on the character, setting and appearance of the Mourne Park Historic Park and the Mourne Park listed buildings ... by reason of the mass, scale, siting and design, alignment and height, materials and traditional architect details and techniques". Councillors vote 10-0 in favour