Cork TD urging city council to buy 21-acre site to facilitate regional park

A CORK TD has renewed calls for Cork City Council to purchase land adjacent to a local park, for the creation of a new regional park.

The site, which consists of approximately 21 acres, is part of the lands surrounding Glyntown House in Glanmire, and is located off the R639 Glanmire to Riverstown road, by John O’Callaghan Park.

It includes 2.5 acres with outline planning permission for five detached houses, and is located on an elevated site which slopes down toward the Butlerstown river.

Local Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sulivan said he was calling on Cork City Council to purchase the site because, he said, it presented a great chance to extend amenities in an area which has seen intensive development in recent decades.

“There’s over 20 acres available on public sale at the moment on East Cliff Road, between Riverstown and Glanmire, grounds traditionally used by Riverstown FC and it’s also an amenity which is already used by the public,” Mr O’Sullivan told The Echo.

“It’s a very scenic area, it would make a perfect amenity, and a natural extension to John O’Callaghan Park, which it adjoins.”

He said while it was widely acknowledged that John O’Callaghan Park had been a great asset to the area, with so many new homes built in the, it was no longer fit for purpose.

“I believe the council has a perfect opportunity to purchase this land, amalgamate it with John O’Callaghan Park and turn it into a regional park of between 30 and 35 acres and I think that would go a long way toward addressing the deficit of amenities we have in the area,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“In my time in public life, since becoming a county councillor in 2014, there has been in the order of an additional 2,500 new houses delivered in Glanmire and no extra amenities added in that time.

“Purchasing this parcel of land would also present possibilities of extending and developing the playground facility too, there would be ample room for it, and there’s also an existing car park.

“There’s so much going for the site, I think it would be very unfortunate if Cork City Council missed this opportunity.”

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said the council was not in a position to comment on potential acquisitions.