A housing development consisting of 95 houses has been submitted to Cork County Council for planning inspection. The proposed development is located at Glasheen and Park Laurance, Kinsale.
According to the planning report submitted on behalf of the applicant, the subject site is located north-west of Abbeyfort, is approximately 3.5 hectares in size and would be situated adjacent to a larger residential development known as ‘Abbeyfort’, which is currently unfinished.
The proposed mix of development is as follows; no.19 two-bed terraces, no.63 three-bed terraces and semi-detached and no.13 four-bed semi-detached. While the subject site does not have any associated planning history, on adjacent lands there has been a significant amount of movement towards residential development over the past couple of years, with a couple of proposed schemes applied for by Hartley Homes.
According to the planning report for this application, the principle of development is deemed acceptable based on local planning policy for the area. The 2017 Bandon-Kinsale Local Area Plan (LAP) indicates that the lands within the subject site are zoned for Medium Residential Development.
Moreover, the County Development Plan 2022-2028, which came into effect this week (June 6th), has set an objective for the population of the town to grow by over 2,000 within the lifetime of the plan, from the current population gathered from the 2016 Census. To accommodate this growth in population it is estimated that an additional 629 housing units will be required by 2028.
Recently, The Carrigdhoun reported on the shocking rental situation in Kinsale, with some units available on the letting website, Airbnb, for an eye-watering €15,185 a month. The area is a major tourist destination, attracting seasonal visitors who either rent for a short period over the summer, or are returning to a property that they own but live elsewhere for the rest of the year.
As a result, it will be important for local residents that new properties which become available in the coming years will be affordable for them to be able to both buy and rent. Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) of the Bandon-Kinsale MD, recently revealed that an “Affordable Housing Scheme for Kinsale is on the way and a total of 160 houses to be built in Commogue, behind Saile. The majority are affordable with some social starting with Phase 1 in 2023 and Phase 2 and 3 to follow. Cork County Council will carry out a survey towards the end of May to determine how many people are interested.”
Returning to the proposed scheme for Park Laurence, the proposal consists of two separate phases of development, commencing in 2023 if granted. As part of Part V arrangement, a total of 20 units will be set aside of social (10) and affordable (10) housing. It is proposed that 10 of these units will be three-bed terraces, 8 will be two-bed terraces, and 1of both a 4-bed and 3-bed semi-detached house.
According to the Design Report, an Outdoor Amenity Space which will cover a total area of over 13% of the site is also proposed. They also indicate that good connectivity with the town centre will be provided for cyclist and pedestrians, ensuring that active travel will be encouraged. 169 parking spaces will also be provided for the residential units.
It is suggested that the design of public spaces within the site is proposed in a way which will provide “a direct physical connection between home and public spaces. All the roads have houses fronting onto street level, which will create a high level of street activity. This will provide a significant ambiance of security, surveillance, safety and community within the public realm.”
The full application and all relevant documents are available to view either physically in Cork County Hall, or online via the Council’s website. Observations and submissions can be received up until June 20th.