HW Planning, on behalf of developers MWB Two Ltd, is appealing a Cork City Council decision to refuse planning permission for the development of an apartment block comprising 67 one- and two-bedroom apartments on lands at Bessborough.

The appeal states that the height and scale of the proposed project were “appropriate,” and claim that the application is not “premature”.

The proposed development at Ballinure, Blackrock, was refused by Cork City Council’s planning department, with one of the reasons being its prematurity “pending the determination by the competent authority of the separate Strategic Housing Development application on the adjoining lands.”

That section of the plans relate to a separate strategic housing development proposal comprising 179 residential units in three apartment blocks. It forms part of the same overall development called Gateway View. However, two planning applications were submitted: one to Cork City Council for the 67 apartments, and the other to Bord Pleanála, which will now be subject to an oral hearing.

Other factors were raised in the appeal against the refusal of the 67 apartments, including that despite materially contravening the landzoning objectives for the site, dwellings were permitted by Bord Pleanála, on appeal, at another area nearby, and asked for the same in this case.

In response to a query from The Echo, a spokesperson for the developers said: “MWB Two Ltd. can confirm that it has lodged an appeal to An Bord Pleanála regarding Cork City Council’s decision to turn down its application to build 67 apartments at its proposed ‘Gateway View’ residential development in Mahon, Blackrock.”