Writes Ciaran Dineen
An Bórd Pleanála have upheld a decision made by Cork County Council for the development of 38 residential units on the site of the Old Boatyard in Carrigaline. The Board's decision was announced in November, following the submission of a third party appeal objecting to the development.
The application from Glenveagh comprises a mix of 16 no. 2-bed mid-terraced townhouses, 6 no. 3-bed mid-terraced townhouses, 4 no. 3-bed end-terrace townhouses, 6 no. 3-bed end-terrace townhouses, along with 2 no. 2-bed duplexes and 2 no. 1-bed apartments in a 3 storey building located centrally within the scheme.
Outlining their primary reasons for granting permission, the Board stated that “the proposed development would not seriously injure the residential amenities of neighbouring properties or the residential amenities of the area, would not lead to a risk of flooding of the site or of neighbouring properties, would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience and would not be prejudicial to public health”.
The application was lodged in September 2020 and a number of submissions were made within the 4-week time limit. Included in this were observations from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the Estuary Residents Association (ERA) and two local residents
On October 30th 2020 Cork County Council requested further information from the developer on 14 different accounts, which included matters relating to Management Plans, public lighting and climate change.
As part of their submission of further information, the applicant amended its proposals to reduce the number of units from 39 to 38, however, Senior Planner, Thomas Watt reported in late February of this year that additional information provided was insufficient on three counts, mostly relating to flood risk management and the potential impact on water quality for the lower harbour, which is a Special Protection Area.
Following a request for clarification, and a further submission of updated information, planning was granted by Mr Watt subject to 61 conditions. Some of these included; the formation of an internal report to be shared with Cork County Council surrounding traffic safety, which will involve the identifying of stop lines, pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures.
The developer was also instructed to provide adequate off-road parking facilities within the site during the construction phase, ensuring that there is no impact on the use of Church Road. €47,610 will also need to be paid to Cork County Council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities as it is considered appropriate that the developer should contribute to the upkeep of the community.
Two local residents in Carrigaline subsequently appealed this decision, having previously made observations during the initial application. As part of their grounds for appeal they argued that the site is prone to flooding and therefore the development would not be suitable, quoting from previous observations made about the site in past applications. Other points raised in their objection revolve around the potential impact on local biodiversity and ecology, along with traffic concerns.
However, An Bórd Pleanála were satisfied that the proposed development would not result in any of the concerns raised by the appellant, but did attach a further 24 conditions alongside their decision. Of particular interest in these conditions included; a requirement for the applicant to provide electric vehicle (EV) charging points for a minimum of 10% of all communal car parking spaces and that a portion of public open space, provided in the application, be reserved for such use, and Cork County Council will at some point take ownership of this space, at no cost to the authority.