Planning permission granted for almost 550 new homes on the outskirts of Cork city
Seán McCárthaigh
Planning permission has been granted for almost 550 new homes on the outskirts of Cork City, despite objections from eight different parties, including a local group of residents.
An Coimisiún Pleanála has approved the large-scale residential development of 544 new housing units on a 15.2-hectare site at Greenfield, Ballincollig in Cork.
It upheld the decision of Cork City Council to grant planning permission to developers, Murnane and O’Shea, for the project which also includes a creche and retail unit, following several appeals by third parties, including the Greenfields Concerned Residents group.
The plans provide for 232 houses, including a large number of three and four bedroom family units as well as 312 apartments in 28 separate blocks up to four storeys in height.
It is expected that the development will be completed over four different phases over a period of eight-10 years.
A condition imposed by An Coimisiún Pleanála in the grant of planning permission requires the developers to confine the sale of new homes to individual buyers, with a ban on any units being sold to corporate buyers or approved housing bodies.
The development also allows for the demolition of an existing house and farmyard on Greenfields Road, Ballincollig.
Subject to compliance with over 30 different planning conditions, An Coimisiún Pleanála said the development was consistent with the policies and objectives of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028.
The Commission said the plans represented an appropriate density of residential development and would constitute an acceptable mix and number of residential units.
It said they would also provide acceptable levels of residential amenity for future occupants, as well as providing essential community and childcare services, while not causing adverse impacts or pollution.
The Commission said the development was also acceptable in terms of road safety and convenience, and it was satisfied the new estate would be adequately serviced by water infrastructure without a risk of flooding.
Objectors, including the Greenfields Concerned Residents, expressed concern that the development would create further traffic on an already heavily congested Greenfields Road during rush hour.
They also complained about the complete lack of public transport in the area, with claims the nearest bus stop was around 1.9km away.
The appellants claimed the proposed development with a “fortress-style” perimeter was also out of character with the surrounding area with an inappropriate design and layout.
Opponents of the development called for planning permission to be refused on the basis that it represented overdevelopment with inadequate levels of open space and public transport on land prone to exacerbating flooding on adjoining sites.
In response, the developers, Murnane and O’Shea, noted that council planners had not raised any concern about the impact of the development on the residential amenities of existing properties in the area.
They estimated that the development would generate an additional 10 per cent of traffic on Greenfields Road, which would still allow existing junctions to operate within capacity.
The developers said they anticipated the BusConnects project be up and running before the new homes became available, which would result in a reduced dependence on private car use.
Separately, Murnane and O’Shea lodged their own appeal against a planning condition imposed by Cork City Council, which required the creche to be constructed and operational before any residential unit of two or more beds could be occupied.
They claimed such a condition was unwarranted and unduly onerous.
The Commission upheld the appeal and replaced the condition with a requirement for the creche to be at an operational standard prior to completion of the development.
Murnane and O’Shea said the development would support the council’s objective of compact growth and development of south Ballincollig and would reflect the market demand for family-type residential units from first-time buyers and younger families.
