ARMAGH GAOL, ARMAGH
Download the Armagh Gaol Community Consultation Report (PDF, 10MB)
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The Community Consultation Report has now been completed. It is important to receive feedback from the community on its content and to gather personal histories and historical information that can play a part in the Gaol's future. We would also very much welcome receiving any letters of support the community feels able to provide on the proposals, please email letters of support to armagh.gaol@princes-regeneration.org.
Armagh Gaol, is a Grade B+ listed building, and one of Northern Ireland's most important historic buildings. The Gaol was designed principally by two of Ireland's foremost architects, Francis Cooley and William Murray, and built largely between 1780 and 1860.
The Prince's Regeneration Trust is working in partnership with the Trevor Osborne Property Group and owners Armagh City & District Council to turn Northern Ireland's Armagh Gaol into a luxury hotel and mixed-use development.
In the early days Armagh Gaol consisted of three prisons - one for women, one for debtors and one for felons. Executions were common, initially taking place publicly in the Gaol square, but later moved behind the prison walls. The last man to be executed at the Gaol was Joseph Fee in 1904. In the latter half of the 20th century the Gaol accommodated high-profile political prisoners. It closed in 1986.
The Gaol has been vacant for the past 20 years and is presently on the Built Heritage at Risk list (NI). In order to safeguard the building for future generations, it is necessary to identify sustainable and appropriate new uses. The Gaol is a flagship project of great importance and can contribute to the City's continued growth over the next decade. The implementation of an appropriately sensitive, heritage-led regeneration scheme not only has the potential to create a hub of economic and social activity but may also act as a catalyst for further physical and economic regeneration schemes, underlining Armagh's potential to become a key destination for both visitors and residents.
The property was placed on the market by Armagh Council in 2008 with a view to finding both a developer and a heritage specialist who would be able to create an imaginative restoration and regeneration scheme, that not only establishes new sustainable uses for the vacant buildings, but which also preserves the Gaol's architectural integrity and historic importance. The Prince's Regeneration Trust and the Trevor Osborne Property Group were subsequently appointed, through a competitive tender process.
A public consultation event was held in June 2009, with over 700 members of the public attending, reflecting an exceptionally high level of public interest in the development. Key stakeholders were also invited to input their ideas into the re-development of the Goal. A planning application is due to be submitted to the Planning Service in early 2010.
