Plans lodged for 246 new homes in Cork city suburb  

Developers have lodged plans for nearly 250 new homes near Bishopstown in Cork, across the road from where another large housing scheme has been constructed.

Bridgewater Homes has submitted a bid for planning permission to Cork City Council for 143 houses and 103 apartment units at Waterfall Rd in the townland of Ardarostig.

The mix of one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom housing units would be accompanied by a creche for up to 140 children in the envisaged Waterfall Manor development.

While it is opposite the Waterfall Heights development where permission for 276 homes was granted by An Coimisiún Pleanála in 2021, it is also located near another Waterfall Rd site — where plans for 164 new homes were shot down by the council earlier this year before the planning board later granted permission.

High-quality residential

In planning statements on behalf of the applicants by McCutcheon Halley, it said that proposed scheme would “transform a 5.76-hectare greenfield site into a high-quality residential development”.

“[It] results in the creation of a sustainable and attractive residential neighbourhood which will provide quality homes that are suitable for a range of housing needs with an appropriate housing mix and density in place,” it said.

“This proposal aims to increase density and assist in fulfilling the council’s objective of delivering more housing within the Bishopstown area.

“[It] will create a living environment that promotes the concept of ‘neighbourhood’ and promotes a sense of community.”

The site is located around 6km from Cork city centre, to the south-west of the Bandon Rd roundabout.

While it is located near public transport links, McCutcheon Halley said the site would benefit from the future plans for bus services in Cork.

It said: “As part of BusConnects proposals, new bus routes are expected to be established in the near future, with direct access from Bishopstown to Cork city, which will provide significant improvements to bus services in the wider Bishopstown and Wilton area.

“There is also a new bus route planned to serve Waterfall Rd, which will provide a bus service directly to the site.”

Decision due

Cork City Council has set a date of October 30 for its decision for the development.

Any submissions to the plans must be made by October 9.

In the case of the nearby development refused by Cork City Council earlier this year, An Coimisiún Pleanála overturned the local authority’s decision on the 164-home development.

While the council turned down the plans as it went against City Hall’s goals of a “15-minute city” and “walkable neighbourhoods”, the planning board took an opposing view.

An Coimisiún Pleanála said that the plans would result in an “appropriate density of residential development” and would be “acceptable in terms of pedestrian, cyclist, and traffic safety”.