Print PageBuilt Heritage
Kildare is a County that boasts a rich architectural heritage spanning many centuries. Through out the county there are many building types represented, some of which are unique to the county. This built heritage takes the form large estate houses, vernacular heritage such as thatched cottages, industrial related structures such as the Grand and Royal canals, bridges, mill buildings and warehouses.
In 1998 the Government launched a package of measures aimed at protecting our built heritage. At the heart of the system is a statutory requirement that the protection of buildings of artistic, architectural, historical, cultural, archaeological, scientific, technical or social interest be a mandatory objective of each local authority's Development Plan.
Each planning authority is obliged to have a Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Owners and occupiers of protected buildings are required to ensure that buildings do not become endangered through harm, decay or damage. Planning authorities operate a conservation grant scheme to assist the owner or occupier of a protected structure to undertake necessary works. >
Protected Structures
A protected structure is a structure that a planning authority considers to be of special interest from an architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical point of view. Every planning authority is obliged to have a Record of Protected Structures (RPS) that includes structures of special interest in its functional area and into which details of protected structures are entered. The RPS forms part of the Development Plan.
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Kildare County Council Projects
This section has several of the built heritage projects undertaken by Kildare County Council. Projects cover thatched cottages, farmhouses and protected structures.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
The purpose of the NIAH is to identify, record, and evaluate the post-1700 architectural heritage of Ireland, uniformly and consistently as an aid in the protection and conservation of the built heritage. NIAH surveys provide the basis for the recommendations of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the planning authorities for the inclusion of particular structures in their Record of Protected Structures (RPS).
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Guidelines on the Conservation of Architectural Heritage
This series of booklets has been produced by the Department of the Environment to increase awareness of the value of our architectural heritage and to provide infromation on the basic principles and methods of conservation and restoration.
Legislation and Links
This section contains links to the relevent legislation that protects architectural and built heritage in Ireland and usefull links to other websites dealing with architectural and built heritage.
For further information please contact:
Peter Black, Conservation Officer,
Kildare County Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare. 045 980807