Appeals lodged against Kinsale Road development

THE brakes have been put on proposals for a major mixed-use development, incorporating a hotel, 134 residential units and a neighbourhood centre building on a site at the Kinsale Road following appeals lodged with An Bord Pleanála.

Two third-party appeals have been submitted to the board in a bid to overturn Cork City Council’s recent grant of conditional planning permission for the proposed development in Ballycurreen.

Last summer applicant Denis McBarron lodged the application with the local authority seeking permission for the development consisting of 134 apartments and duplexes in 12 three-storey blocks, a three-storey neighbourhood centre building which would include a restaurant/take-away, convenience retail store, gym, dentist, physio, hairdressers and outdoor amenity at roof level along with a 158-bedroom hotel.

The proposed hotel would include a swimming pool, gym, bar, cafe, restaurant and function room.

The council’s grant of planning permission also allows for the demolition of an of an existing dwelling and ancillary structures at the site and the creation of a new entrance/signalled junction, works to the N27, and the provision of car and bicycle parking and a crèche.

Following a request for further information, Cork City Council granted permission to the development, subject to 32 conditions.

Appeals

However, the proposed development has now been halted following two separate appeals.

The first has been lodged by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

In a submission to Cork City Council prior to its ruling on the planning application, TII claimed the proposed development is “at variance” with official policy in relation to the control of developments on or affecting national roads.

TII said it had serious concerns about the impact the development would have on both the N27 and N40, described as “critical parts” of the national road network.

Separately, an appeal has been lodged by Macroom Motor Services Limited.

In their submission to the council, Macroom Motor Services Limited T/A Lehane Motors, who have a retail business bounding the proposed development, claimed that the site is “completely overdeveloped” and raised concerns about parking and traffic.

It claimed that the area is more conducive to industrial or commercial developments rather than residential use.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the case by November 9.