The Irish Times

The landscape protection zone around internationally important Headfort House, outside Kells, Co Meath, will be substantially reduced if Meath County Council ratifies an amendment to its draft development plan. The original draft sought to protect 299 hectares (718 acres) around the house, which has been a private prep school for more than 50 years, by designating it as an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA), where development would be strictly controlled. However, an amendment tabled by Cllr John Farrelly, former Fine Gael TD for Meath, would reduce the protected zone to just 24 hectares (58 acres) in the immediate vicinity of the house. Even its old stables, converted to housing in 2000, would be excluded. The amendment was adopted by 14 votes to three by the council at one of its recent meetings on the draft development plan, but it then had to go to public consultation along with other changes. Yesterday was the last day for making submissions on the amended draft. Headfort House, which dates from 1770, contains highly regarded neo-classical interiors by Robert Adam. The school has received €680,000 in funding from the Heritage Council in recent years, as well as aid for conservation works from the World Monuments Fund.