Developers seek extension on planning permission  for 753 homes on Cork's northside

DEVELOPERS behind plans for hundreds of new homes on the northside of the city are seeking to extend the grant of planning permission for the development by three years, citing delays as a result of the pandemic impacting the timeline for delivery.

Longview Estates Ltd was given the go-ahead in 2020 for the development of 753 residential units, a mix of houses and apartments, in six neighbourhoods at a site in the townland of Lahardane in Ballyvolane.

Last July, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Finance Minister Michael McGrath turned the sod on a €9m project in Ballyvolane said to support the delivery of the new homes.

The work is being delivered by the Housing Infrastructure Services Company — a commercial joint venture between the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and Cork County Council to build infrastructure for housing.

One condition attached to the planning permission for the new homes stipulates that planning is valid for a period of seven years. However, Longview Estates Ltd is now looking to extend the permission period to ten years.

A planning report states that the delivery programme was “significantly impacted by the construction restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“The project was effectively put on hold during 2020 and early 2021 due to the rolling shutdowns of the construction sector during peaks of the Covid-19 virus. During this period, Longview Estates were engaging with Cork City Council in relation to planning compliance. For a project of scale, Irish Water [sic] works and HISCO supported Infrastructure works and enabling infrastructure were all impacted and delayed,” the report continues.

Other works and activities, the report says, “were also delayed by Covid-19 closures and restrictions, along with inflation challenges brought on by same and the war in Ukraine”.

The report states that, in 2021, Longview Estates began “remobilising to commence development” and that preparations to commence work on site took place in spring 2023.

“Whilst the request is to extend the permission period to ten years, in reality the development would still be delivered over a seven year timeframe as per the original SHD consent owing to the delay in commencing same,” it continues.

The current Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) planning application also seeks permission for some minor amendments to the development, including a reorientation of four residential units in one of the neighbourhoods.

Separately, an appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála, raising concerns that the applicants have not adequately dealt with surface water flow.

The appellants have requested that any grant of permission be conditioned that the applicant “should submit a detailed comprehensive design to deal with surface water flow” prior to the commencement of development.

An Bord Pleanála is due to make a decision on the case by May 13.