Published on Wednesday 23 May 2012 08:35
THE owner of this picturesque old farmhouse in Larne has been given seven days to repair it or the Department of Environment will move in.
Ballyloran House is a listed gabled farmhouse which was built in 1868.
However, it has been subjected to graffiti and now neighbours complain that it is turning into an eyesore.
The two-storey, Ballyhampton Road property is also on the Built Heritage at Risk in Northern Ireland (BHARNI) register. It’s additionally thought that the building may contain the fabric of an earlier 18th century building.
The Department of Environment yesterday announced that it has issued an Urgent Works Notice which means the owner has seven days to carry out works to secure the building. After this time, if works have not commenced, the department will carry these out and seek recovery of the costs from the owner.
But a director of Cherry Tree Holdings, which owns the building, told the News Letter that they have been battling serial vandals in the area. He described the required repairs as consisting of just replacing a window and a door.
The director said the company had initially secured the house with plywood, which he said was sufficient for most properties, but this was stolen – as were the steel coverings and doors they replaced the plywood with. The roof has also been stripped of lead.
The director said the company had wanted the building de-listed so it could build a nursing home and retirement housing on the site.
“We have used our best endeavours to maintain the building but it has been against a backdrop of hooliganism,” he said.
Environment Minister Alex Attwood said that all of the Province’s listed buildings are “jewels from the past which need to be conserved for now and future generations”.
“Once gone they can never be brought back,” he said.
“Listed buildings attract much tourism and there is always the potential to develop this further by securing and preserving them.
“I am determined we do that and this Urgent Works Notice is an example of that determination. There has been anti-social behaviour around the building. It is important therefore that we take this urgent action to protect it from loss.”
Mr Attwood also said that following the Heritage Crime Summit last August, he has provided additional funding to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to enable it to undertake direct action in cases such as Ballyloran.
He warned that more actions will be taken in the future.
Ballyloran House was given its B2 listing on December 31, 2002.
Following a review in January 2012, it was concluded that Ballyloran House “remains worthy” of its listed status, despite the damage it has sustained over the years.