Planning refusal at former Cope facility is appealed

Cork City Council’s decision to refuse a larger residential scheme at the site of a former Cope Foundation facility, formerly known as Honan Home, has been appealed.

In April Pontorac Limited lodged an application with the local authority seeking permission for the development of 42 residential units at the site on Lover’s Walk in Montenotte.

The application proposed the demolition of rear and side annexes and the construction of three rear extensions to the former Honan Home and the conservation and internal reconfiguration of the 18th century structure to provide three townhouse units and seven apartments.

It further proposed the extension and conversion of the existing gate lodge to one residential unit; the conservation, alterations and construction of a rear extension to the existing tank house to provide two semi-detached units, in addition to the construction of a further 29 residential units – a mix of townhouses and apartments – on the 1.46 hectare site.

The applicants also sought permission for associated ancillary development works including the construction of footpaths, the provision of parking and landscaping works.

A design statement submitted with the application said planning permission exists presently for a smaller residential scheme at the site.

In refusing planning permission for the latest application, Cork City Council said it deemed that the proposed works to the former Honan Home, a protected structure and archaeological monument, to provide 10 new homes “would result in detrimental impacts to the special character of this 18th century house”.

Overall, the council said it considered the proposed development would constitute overdevelopment in a “sensitive landscape” by reason of the number of units, building form, composition, design and the extent of the proposed hard landscaping.

The local authority also said the proposed removal of “extensive areas” of vegetation, and replacement with hard landscaping, in addition to the provision of an access road immediately to the front of the main house, “would be injurious to the historic landscape setting of the former Honan Home”.

A first party appeal has now been lodged in a bid to see the council’s decision overturned by An Bord Pleanála.

The appeal, submitted on behalf of the applicants, contends that the proposed development “retains a significant quantum of the existing fabric and has less intervention and is more sympathetic from a conservation perspective” than the previous developments permitted.

Also among the points raised, the appeal states that a “comprehensive” landscape and visual impact assessment was submitted with the application “which demonstrates that the proposed development will not have a negative visual impact”.

It states while the applicants “do not believe that the scheme submitted to the council will have a negative impact on the existing Honan Home”, as part of the appeal an alternative layout was submitted which omits three residential units proposed to the south of the existing Honan Home.

Urging the board to overturn the refusal, the appeal states that the proposed development would provide much needed residential accommodation on an infill site within easy walking distance to Cork city centre”.

A decision on the case is due by October 24.