Cork Docklands road network scheme facing delays due to 'administrative error'

A new planning process will have to be undertaken for the Cork Docklands to City Centre Road Network Improvement Scheme.

Cork City Council is advising the High Court that it is consenting to the setting aside of the Part 8 planning approval for the scheme.

According to a statement from City Hall, it’s due to an omission from the Part 8 public notice.

The conclusions of an environmental screening exercise, which was undertaken, were not published in the notice.

Cork City Council says it remains fully committed to “this important public realm and sustainable transport project” but a new Part 8 planning process with the design, which was previously approved, is to be undertaken, with further public consultation to take place.

Cork City Council’s Director of Infrastructure Development, Gerry O’Beirne said: “The notice omission and consequential action and delay are sincerely regretted. The administrative error in the drafting of the public notice reflected a weakness in the Council’s internal processes which has since been corrected. A new planning process will be undertaken in respect of the proposed works. This will take an estimated 4-5 months to complete”.

The Docklands to City Centre Scheme was to be a transformational project for Cork City as it continues to grow.

The scheme seeks to improve flows between the city centre, Docklands, and the N27, through a raft of measures which will include works on Victoria Road, Albert Road, Centre Park Road, Monahan Road, and as far as City Hall.

However, Save Cork City applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the case in 2019, as they had said that the scheme also contains plans for flood defences that are already being considered within the context of the entire Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme.

The group also said at the time that the council acted with a “conflict of interest” within the process as it granted planning permission for its own development.

Speaking last year, City Hall’s Gerry O’Beirne rejected suggestions that the consultation process for the scheme was flawed or not inclusive.