Built Heritage




Our built heritage is part of the environment we live and work in.  It is both everyday and ancient.  The built heritage is a festival of colour, shapes and textures.  It is manmade, taken form the earth and reshapen.  It represents the vision and aspirations of those who went before us and it is ours to enjoy, to enhance and to hand on to future generations.


Built Heritage in Cork

There are 2,000 structures listed on the Record of Protected Structures in the County Development Plan. These include bridges, mansions, shop fronts, post offices, gate lodges and buildings dating from the 1500s to the 1990s. A recent survey of thatched houses carried out by the County Council identified about 230 thatched houses, excluding those that have been covered by galvanised iron. There are 43 Architectural Conservation Areas identified and listed in the County Development Plan, 2009.

The National Inventory for Architectural Heritage (NIAH) survey is almost completed for the County with only Central Cork remaining and these surveys have alreadly uncovered many more architectural gems within the County. Details on the surveys conducted for West Cork, East Cork and North Cork can be accessed by clicking here


The Heritage Unit's Involvement with Built Heritage

The Heritage Unit has played a huge role in the promotion and protection of the built heritage in the County of Cork. With a designated Conservation Officer, development proposals are thoroughly assessed to determine their impact, if any, on our built heritage and the Conservation Officer has also overseen the implementation of the Conservation Grant Scheme for many years throughout the county. Details of this scheme can be found on the funding page of this website under Built Heritage by clicking here

. In addition to the above, the Heritage Unit has supported a number of different Built Heritage projects and initiatives over the years. Below are a few examples of projects within the built heritage remit that have been either undertaken or supported by the Heritage Unit of Cork County Council and of note is that there are many further projects in the pipeline for 2012 and beyond.


A Series of Seminars on Architectural Conservation Areas (2011)

In October 2011, Cork County Council delivered three information seminars on Architectural Conservation Areas. The seminars were aimed at owners and occupiers of buildings located within designated Architectural Conservation Areas. The purpose of the seminars was to provide general information in relation to the legislation for ACAs and what this means in practical terms and to also provide technical advice with regard to the planning considerations of carrying out development within ACAs. This project also served as an overall awareness raising programme in that information leaflets were disseminated to all owners/occupiers of properties within ACAs who may, prior to the receiving of said leaflet(s), not have been aware that such a designation was applicable to their building(s). The Seminars held also provided attendees with the opportunity to meet with Cork County Council's Conservation Officer and other technical built heritage and planning professionals to get advice on particular issues of concern to them. Overall this project proved quite successful.


Guidelines for the Development and Management of Architectural Conservation Areas (2010)

County Cork has an exceptional tradition of vibrant country towns and villages with unique architectural qualities and an outstanding number of demesne landscapes. This is reflected in the designation of large number and diverse range of architectural conservation areas (ACAs) in the County Council and its Town Councils. These include village cores, areas within towns and designed landscapes. The County Council and its Town Councils have long been aware of the need to balance heritage protection and economic development through sustainable development. In order to provide support and assistance in relation to the management and integration of new development within our Architectural Conservation Areas, in 2009 the Council commissioned the production of a guideline document which would help to direct developers, architects and planners as to how achieve high quality design and to integrate high quality new development within ACAs. A core principle of the guidance is that balanced sustainable development should allow for the ongoing development of traditional centres while also maintaining essential character. Final editing was completed on the document in 2010 and hard copies of the document were made available in 2011. To see these Guidelines please click here


A Series of Seminars on Protected Structures (2010)

In September and October 2010, Cork County Council delivered three information seminars for the owners of protected structures. The purpose of the seminars was to provide the owners with general information relating to the conservation, maintenance, restoration and alteration of Protected Structures; the availability of grants and technical support; as well as a brief introduction to the legal obligations that pertain to such structures and to provide owners with an opportunity to meet with the Conservation Officer and other technical built heritage and planning professionals to get advice on particular issues of concern to them. This project was co-ordinated by the Conservation Officer with logistical, technical and professional support provided by John Cronin and Associates who were appointed to the assist with this project following a competitive tendering process. Three seminars were held in regional locations within the county Doneraile, Clonakilty and Little Island to facilitate as many protected structures owners as possible by reducing the travel need/time for people throughout the county. Overall this project proved quite successful.


Architectural Survey Guidelines - Provision of training to schools and community groups (2008)

2008 saw the promotion of Cork County Council's Guide to the Recording of Built Heritage (produced in 2006) by encouraging secondary schools in particular to carry out research projects on the architectural heritage of their local area as part of the Schools History Project. To that end we offered training to any school group who were interested in participating in an architectural survey project as part of the bigger project. While three schools expressed initial interest, just one (Loreto, Fermoy) was in a position to take up the offer of training given pressure on timetables etc. The Guide was also promoted through a newsletter of local historical societies with a number of these expressing interests in participating in training. It is hoped to run an additional training event in the future.


Guide to the Recording of Built Heritage (2006)

The aims of this project were to raise awareness of the built heritage of Co. Cork by encouraging groups to carry out architectural surveys in their local area; encourage best practise in the gathering of information on the built heritage by providing guidance and training to groups on how to collect store and present information in a standardised way and to collect information on the built heritage of Co. Cork. To see a copy of these guidelines please click here


Relevant Legislation

The principal legislation that provides protection for our built heritage is the Planning and Development Act, 2000.This Act allows for the listing of important structures in County Development Plans in order to provide protection to these.

Here is a summary of the main points of the Act:

• Planning authorities are required to maintain a Record of Protected Structures, within the area covered by the plan.
• These structures must be of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest.
• Local authorities may request owner/occupiers to carry out works to a structure to prevent it from becoming or continuing to be endangered.<
• The local authority may at its discretion assist in the carrying out of works, with advice, financial aid, materials, and equipment or staffing.
• Local authorities may acquire protected structures through agreement or compulsory purchase order (CPO), if they feel it necessary to do so, to ensure the protection of the structure.
• The act also provides for the designation of Architectural Conservation Areas.

Please note that the 2000 Planning and Development Act has recently been amended (2010) and a copy of same can be viewed by clicking here.


Other relevant legislation, conventions and agreements include:

(Granada Convention), European Treaty Series no.121, 1985
Architectural Heritage (National Inventory) and Historic Monuments (Misc. Provisions) Act, 1999
The National Monuments Act 1930 and amendments of 1954, 1987,1994 and 2004
The Heritage Act, 1995


For more information on Protected Structures, please click here.

Conservation Grant Scheme

The objective of this scheme is to assist the owner or occupier of a structure which is protected with the conservation of that structure. This Scheme is currently under review on a Nationwide basis by the Government but additional details of an earlier guidance document on the Scheme can be viewed by clicking Conservation Grants Scheme


For Advice on the Built Heritage - Contact:

Conservation Officer, Cork Co. Council, Floor 3, County Hall, Cork - 021 4276891


Where do I find out if a building or structure is listed?

The Record of Protected Structures is contained in the Cork County Development Plan. This is available to view in all branches of the County Library.


Downloadable Documents

Click here for a number of built heritage related documents.

Other useful documents regarding protected strucutres are available here:

Protected Structures
Nomination for Listing
Guide to protected structures (Dept. of Environment Guide)