Green light for almost 200 homes near Tower

PLANS for almost 200 new homes close to Tower have been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála (ABP) but a proposed retail development and two-storey cafe building which had formed part of the application have been refused.

In February, Cloghroe Development Limited lodged a strategic housing development (SHD) application for a mixed-use development in Coolflugh, nearby to Cloghroe and close to Tower.

The application had sought permission for the demolition of two existing agricultural structures and the construction of 198 residential units — 117 houses and 81 apartment/duplex units — a two-storey creche, a two-storey cafe building, and a single-storey retail food store.

ABP has now given the go-ahead to the majority of the proposed residential units but has refused planning to the proposed two-storey cafe building with a cafe on the ground floor and two apartments at first floor level.

The planning board has also rejected the plans for the single-storey retail food store.

In its reasoning for refusing elements of the planning application, ABP said that the order of priority in the city development plan is “to locate retail in the city centre and the designated District Centres and Ballincollig Town Centre and to allow retail development in edge of centre or out of centre locations only where all other options have been exhausted”.

The proposed retail development, ABP said, would therefore be contrary to the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028.

Having regard to the omission of the retail element, ABP said it considered that the two-storey cafe building, whilst considered acceptable as a use in principal at the site location, “would constitute a discordant and isolated design element at this part of the overall site in the absence of a confirmed spatial layout for the immediately surrounding area”.

Permission granted

Meanwhile, the board has granted permission for 196 residential units, comprising 117 houses, 79 apartment/duplex units, and the proposed creche.

The apartment/duplex units are to be developed in six three-storey apartment buildings.

Access to the new development is to be via a new entrance from the R617 road to the east of the site.

A separate pedestrian entrance is also to be provided from the existing cul-de-sac at the site’s northern boundary.

The works are also set to include upgrades to the R617, including the installation of footpath and bicycle infrastructure, a signalised pedestrian crossing, and the relocation of the existing public bus stop to the west of the R617.

Ancillary site development works include flood defence works, public realm upgrades, amenity walks, and public open spaces.

ABP’s approval of that portion of the development is subject to 27 conditions.

One stipulates that, prior to the commencement of development, final details of the phasing of development including details of areas of open space and infrastructure to be provided at each phase must be submitted to and agreed to in writing with the planning authority.