PLANS could be in the pipeline for a significant residential development in East Cork.

Bam Property Limited recently sought a strategic housing development (SHD) consultation with An Bord Pleanála for a development in Carrigtwohill.

The development, at Castlelake, Terry’s-land, is for 706 residential units comprising 239 houses and 467 apartments.

The proposal also includes a creche and associated site works.

Local Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said that the plans were just one of a number of potential new developments mooted for the area.

He said he was concerned that the social infrastructure was not in place to meet the needs of communities in the village.

“I’m hugely concerned at the volume of high-density that is being proposed for Carrigtwohill, purely because the social infrastructure is not in Carrigtwohill,” he said.

Mr Barry said that he felt Carrigtwohill’s proximity to the railway track was driving the proposed developments. He said he did not believe that this should be the main driver for future development in the area.

Mr Barry added: “I think you should look at the social infrastructure in a community as well.

“It is all about the railway. Because the railway is there, we need high density in Carrigtwohill, which is fine, but then put the social infrastructure in place to facilitate these people as well so that when they come to Carrigtwohill they can live in Carrigtwohill and not leave Carrigtwohill to move elsewhere, to move somewhere to a swimming pool, to move somewhere to a library, to move somewhere to a cinema.”

However, Mr Barry said that a level of high-density development is to be welcomed and pointed out that a number of high-density projects are planned for Cork City.

However, he called into question projects of similar density for the village.

“We’ve no theatre, no library, no swimming pool, no cinema,” he said.

“We don’t have the social infrastructure that is needed so you will need cars, you will need to get out of Carrigtwohill unless this is going to change quickly.”

Bam Property Limited was contacted for comment.

SHD PROPOSALS

While the potential Carrigtwohill development has not reached the planning application stage, a number of SHD applications have been lodged across Co Cork in recent months.

An application has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála seeking permission for a mixed-use development in the Tower area, which includes a proposal for almost 200 homes.

Cloghroe Development Limited is seeking permission for the development at a site approximately 7.5 hectares in size situated in the townland of Coolflugh, to the south west of the joint settlements of Cloghroe/Tower, around 4km south west of Blarney.

Plans are also being progressed to application stage for a significant residential scheme in the Passage West area, which if given the go-ahead would see 171 new homes developed.

The proposed development site of 6.77 hectares is located within the townlands of Lackaroe and Monkstown, to the west of Laurel and Carrigmahon Hill.

Another SHD application has also been lodged with An Bord Pleanála seeking permission for the development of almost 300 homes in Mallow.

Reside Capital Ltd is seeking permission for the development in the townland of Annabella at the western edge of Mallow.