Curtail night use of Irish centre’s roof top: Derry City Council

Londonderry Irish Language organisation An Gaelaras proposes opening the roof garden with an accompanying escape stair, metal guarding and paladin fence

The application is currently being considered by the Planning Services Development Control Group whilst Derry City Council and the DoE’s own Conservation Officers have given their opinions on the proposed roof garden.

In its submission on the proposed garden Derry City Council’s Environmental Health Department said that despite An Chultúrlann’s close proximity to noise sensitive properties in the city centre its roof garden would be in an area already subject to high daytime background noise anyway.

“It is not envisaged that the proposed educational schools trips/visits to the proposed rooftop garden will adversely impact on the amenity of nearby residential properties during the day,” the Council advised.

But night time was a different matter: “However during night-time hour’s noise created as a result of people congregating on the proposed rooftop garden could have the potential to cause disturbance.”

“Planning Service therefore may wish to curtail the hours of use of the rooftop garden during late evening/night-time hours,” was the Council’s response.

In her submission the DoE’s conservation officer Sharon Mulhern noted that the proposed garden would be highly visible from Grand Parade on the City Walls; from Rossville Street and from William Street but after being advised the proposed paladin fence would be grey white she said the Conservation Office would have no objection in principle to the proposal.