Writes Ciaran Dineen
A planning proposal from Glenveagh Homes Ltd for a housing mix comprising of terraced townhouses and a 3 storey duplex/apartment block has been granted permission by Cork County Council. The decision from the local authority has been appealed by one household on Church Road, Carrigaline and the application will now be decided by An Bord Pleanála.
The application from Glenveagh comprises of 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.
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 The Collins’.
On October 30th 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.
Pic Boatyard-A design of the proposed development. Photo: Cunnane Stratton Reynolds
Glenveagh responded to the requests for further information within the 6 month time window, with some additional requests required during this stage. In the matter of the general housing specifications, the Housing Officer on the case stated that “the proposed site layout plan is cohesive and sustainable and the Units are laid out in such a manner that they are well distributed in small clusters throughout the estate, which will help to foster a sense of community and integration. The units proposed for Social use are designed and laid out in accordance with the Guidelines on Quality housing for Sustainable Communities, whilst the floor areas proposed are in keeping with these guidelines.”
The development proposal was reduced from 39 units to 38 in order to provide greater separation distances between the proposed development and adjoining residential properties. As per Part V regulations, three housing units will be provided for social housing.
However, Senior Planner, Thomas Watt reported in late February 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 the request for clarification, the concerned parties were satisfied with the updated information and planning was granted by Mr Watt subject to 61 conditions. Some of these include; 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 must 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.
On the 8th June, during the appeals process, Mr and Mrs Collins submitted their objection, along with the required €220 fee, meaning that the matter will now go to An Bord Pleanála. As part of their grounds for appeal they argue that the area is very much 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.
There is no time limit imposed on ABP to decide the case, but they have provisionally set a date for decision on the 2nd of November this year. The full details of the application can be found on the Cork County Council website. Planning reference number: 205947.