Redemptorists monsatery escapes threat of closing

[lizardley]

Redemptorists at St Mary’s, Kinnoull, Scotland, this morning won planning approval for a development that will finally save the 141-year-old monastery from closing.

The order was refused Council permission last year for their first application to sell nearby land for housing development to generate funds for the £2 million renovation the monastery and retreat house desperately needs. Last year’s decision came in spite of an appeal by Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Britian’s most senior Catholic clergyman.

Full report in this week’s SCO, website to be updated on Friday sconews.co.uk/

 

[Dale_M]

Some background information can be found in a recent article. Please note, however, that it was written before the breaking news which was announced in the OP

The Redemptorist community at St Mary’s Monastery in Kinnoull will discover tomorrow morning if Perth and Kinross Council has approved a planning application that would go someway to securing the order’s long-term future at the site.

The monastery’s trustees have applied to the council for an enabling development to build 19 luxury houses in a neighbouring field on Kinnoull Hill, a site that is owned by the trustees.

If approved, the development could raise the £2 million needed to restore the decaying neo-Gothic B-listed building, which has been home to the Redemptorist community since it was built almost 150 years ago.

sconews.co.uk/news/23018/future-of-st-marys-kinnoull-in-councils-hands/

The provincial superior stated that closure of the monastery was “almost certain” if the development plan were to rejected. The council which approved the proposal received approximately 500 letters in support of the plan, and 100 letters of objection.

 

[Dale_M]

There is little information in the following two links, but a couple pieces of information are noteworthy.

The council vote was 9-4 in favor of the proposal.

Objections to the proposal seemed to center on the land being a greenfield site which is designated to be of “Great Landscape Value.”

news.stv.tv/tayside/196533-future-of-monastery-secured-after-permission-for-19-homes-granted/

scotsman.com/lifestyle/heritage/crumbling-monastery-to-be-saved-after-council-grants-housebuilder-planning-permission-for-luxury-homes-1-2595986

 

[poche]

 

[Dale_M]

Full report in this week’s SCO, website to be updated on Friday sconews.co.uk/

And… here is that promised report from Scottish Catholic Observer
sconews.co.uk/latest-edition/23035/planning-victory-for-kinnoull/

The acceptance of the building development application means that the Redemptorist community will be able to press ahead with plans to undertake much-needed renovation work at the popular retreat centre.

The work will include the installation of a new central heating system, the upgrading of all electrics in the building, the installation of en-suite bathrooms in some of the rooms and the possible development of conference facilities at the monastery, as well as the improvement of all common areas.

The assistance of Cardinal O’Brien was apparently helpful in getting approval. The cardinal expressed his delight with the outcome.

“I rejoice with very many people at the decision of Perth and Kinross Council,” the cardinal said. “Having worked closely with the Redemptorists at Kinnoull over the years, and recently, I do appreciate their magnificent apostolate to many people in Scotland and from all over the world at St Mary’s Monastery.