Mayor hopes that sale of country house and estate in Tipperary will save it from dereliction

Clonmel’s first citizen has welcomed the announcement that Knocklofty House and Estate has been put up for auction for €1.6 million as part of BidX1’s online auction on July 12.

The large 18th century Georgian country house, which is situated a few miles from the town, has been repeatedly targeted by vandals and thieves in recent years.

District Mayor Pat English said it was very positive news that such a historic building was back on the market. It had been idle for so long that it had fallen into a state of dereliction.

“Hopefully someone will buy it and upgrade the building so that it won’t be left in a state of dereliction,” he stated.

The house, which previously operated as a hotel, and included a leisure centre, was the subject of High Court proceedings in April, when a receiver secured High Court orders requiring unknown people in four caravans to vacate the property.

The orders were sought by chartered accountant Ken Fennell, who in 2015 was appointed by a financial fund as receiver over Knocklofty House, which is a protected building, by financial fund Promontoria (Aran) Limited.

The receiver stated that he wanted to sell the property but has claimed he was unable to do so because of the unlawful presence and activity of several people on the site.

The country estate is on approximately 41.2 hectares (102 acres) of land.

It includes six detached dwellings, two gate lodges and 20 additional dwellings and will be offered for sale collectively as one lot.

Knocklofty House extends to approximately 2,100 square metres (22,600 square feet).

Knocklofty Heights comprises six detached houses ranging in size from 133 square metres (1,413 square feet) to 224 square metres (2,411 square feet).

Five houses at Knocklofty Heights are occupied under terms unknown, with vacant possession of one house.

Additional outhouses are occupied under terms unknown.

In the High Court in April it was also claimed that the unknown people were causing an ongoing nuisance and had refused to leave.

The court heard the makeshift camp was “unsightly” and “may cause a danger to both humans and animals”.