West Cork residents feel 'betrayed' by planning process after approval given to whiskey warehouses 

Objections have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála concerning proposals to build a dozen industrial whiskey maturation warehouses in west Cork.

Cork County Council granted the green light to West Cork Distillers for permission to build the 12 warehouses and a service building, in Tullig, Connagh, Leap, Cork, on January 16 this year, subject to conditions.

The plans consist of three blocks of three warehouses for the maturation of whiskey, with one double warehouse block, and one single warehouse. Each warehouse would have a total floor area of 1,530sqm with an overall total floor area of 18,360sqm and an overall height of 11.45m. The warehouses will be single storey in nature.

There is provision for a single storey service building with a ground floor area of 124.5sqm, a new 9m wide by 3m high planted embankment at the perimeter of the bonded warehouse site, and a new 3m high security fence and security access gates.

The plans include a new fire-fighting tank, water retention tank, along with the demolition of an existing unhabitable farmhouse and outbuildings. A new internal road network and recontouring works are also envisaged.

The Council’s decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála on February 10 by Niall Dignan, Sam Dignan, the Tullig and Reenascreena Community Group, Friends of the Irish Environment, and West Cork Distillers Limited. A case decision is due on or before June 15 next.

Tullig and Reenascreena Community Group has been fighting West Cork Distillers’ proposals since the planning application was first lodged with the Council in 2021.

“To be honest, the community feels let down and betrayed by Cork County Council and the planning process,” said local resident and group spokesperson Calvin Jones.

Mr Jones said the group worked closely with planning consultants Cunnane Stratton Reynolds on the An Bord Pleanála appeal and is confident they have a strong case to overturn the Council’s decision.

“The Council should never have granted planning for it," he said. "There are far better locations in the city and county to site facilities like this.” Mr Jones said, while they acknowledge that the growth of the Irish whiskey industry is a good news story for Ireland, for that growth to be sustainable, “construction of these maturation facilities needs to happen in appropriate strategic locations.” The Echo contacted West Cork Distillers for comment.