Planning board upholds city council’s decision to refuse permission for northside apartment scheme

A decision by Cork City Council to reject planning permission for more than three dozen apartments at a brownfield site on the northside of the city has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála (ABP).

Bridgewater Homes Ltd had sought permission from the council for the demolition and removal of existing structures including a dwelling house and steel shed and the construction of 39 apartments at a site at Popes Hill in The Glen.

The application said the proposed development would range in height from three to five storeys containing two three-bed units, 21 two-bed units and 16 one-bed units.

It also sought permission for 84 bike spaces and all ancillary site development works including the development of amenity areas.

A planning and design report accompanying the application asserted that the proposed development would “utilise an infill, brownfield site, within the urban fabric of the northern suburbs of Cork city”.

It also stated that the proposed layout was “designed to respond positively to the existing context of the site” and provide “much needed apartment units”.

However, Cork City Council decided to refuse planning permission deeming that the proposed development, by reason of siting, site coverage, design, scale and massing, would be “excessive” and would represent “over-development” of the site.

It also stated that the development, as proposed, had “minimal public communal space” and “poor standard of residential accommodation on the lower levels”, among other factors, that would result in an “unacceptable level of residential amenity for future occupants”.

Also among its reasoning, the council said that the proposed development, by reasons of siting, height massing and scale, elevational treatment and the use of materials, would “relate poorly to its receiving environment” and “have an unduly overbearing relationship with adjoining properties”.

A first party appeal was subsequently lodged with ABP in a bid to overturn the council’s decision.

However, earlier this month the planning board also ruled to refuse permission, citing similar concerns to the local authority.

ABP, in its Board Order, said it also deemed the apartment scheme as proposed would constitute “over development of the site” and would be “out of character with the existing residential properties in the vicinity and surrounding area”.

Also cited among the decisions for refusing planning, the board said it was not satisfied that the Daylight, Sunlight, Overshadowing Assessment undertaken for the proposed development “would not be detrimental to the residential amenity of existing residential properties in the vicinity of the site in particular those in Motor Villas to the south west”.