Proposed apartment development in Douglas area refused planning permission

A CONTENTIOUS planning application for a residential development in the Douglas area which received more than 90 submissions and objections has been refused by Cork City Council.

In September, Sean and Helga Sorensen lodged a planning application with the local authority seeking permission for the construction of 13 apartments at a site on Douglas Rd.

The plans would have seen the demolition of an existing two-storey dwelling, associated ancillary building, existing roadside walls and vehicular entrance on Endsleigh Estate, and the development of a new part two-storey, part four-storey residential apartment block.

The 13 new units would have comprised five one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments and the application also sought permission for two covered bicycle shelters, a proposed new pedestrian access on Douglas Rd and proposed a new pedestrian access at Endsleigh Estate.

A planning design statement submitted with the application contended that the nature of the site on “a prominent location along the Douglas road and on a visibly important corner… lends itself to the creation of a building which can be used as a wayfinding marker along this route”.

However, the development plans proved controversial, with over 90 submissions and objections made in relation to the application.

One such objection was made by Endsleigh and The Willows Residents Association who cited multiple concerns over the plans.

The association asserted that the proposed development was “excessive in density and design” and “out of keeping with the architecture on the Douglas Road and Endsleigh Estate”.

The lack of car parking associated with the proposed development was also among the association’s concerns.

“The lack of provision for onsite parking will result in saturation of an already oversubscribed ‘on street’ capacity,” they stated, adding that the area is “already saturated with traffic from three local schools”.

Among its reasons for turning down the planning application, Cork City Council said the proposed development because of its scale, massing and design “would constitute an excessive density and an inappropriate scale of development, which would be out of character with the established residential character of the area”.