New life for the Old Schoolhouse

Tipperary Co Council has granted conditional planning permission for the refurbishment and alteration of the Old Schoolhouse at Sopwell, Cloughjordan.

Geoff Power and Andrea Carter are to turn the building into a single family, two-bedroom home. A series of works are planned for the building, a Protected Structure, which was built as a school and headmaster's house in 1826. The building was formerly part of the demesne of Sopwell Hall. The former schoolroom served as the Church of Ireland national school for the local area until its closure in 1962. The house continued to be used as a dwelling until the 1990s.

In granting permission, the council required the omission of planned photovoltaic solar panels on the rear elevation of the main school block in the interest of visual amenity the protection of the character and setting of the Protected Structure. Also among the conditions of planning is a requirement for the development to be overseen by a suitably experienced conservation professional.