Planning permission granted for 19 houses at Glanduff in Kilbrittain has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála, after the plans were originally granted by Cork County Council last December to Peppard Investments Limited.
The site is near the sports ground, tennis court, and community hall, and next to the Meadowview and Castleview housing estates.
Plans for the houses also includes provision for some infrastructure works, including road improvements, the widening of footpaths, and three new pedestrian crossings.
Appeals were made to An Bord Pleanála by two residents’ associations of the nearby housing estates, the Kilbrittain Community Council, and a number of private individuals.
The appeals variously alleged that the development was excessive in scale, and the belief that the development is too close to a playing pitch, and that the wastewater treatment plant did not have the capacity for more houses in the village.
However, the Board said that Cork County Council had addressed ‘all relevant issues’ in a series of technical reports, and furthermore, that Uisce Éireann gave a confirmation of feasibility, and had no objection to the development.
The Board inspector upheld the Council’s decision, saying that the development would ‘provide a high-quality residential development’ that would not adversely impact on the community’s amenities.
Plans are for seven four-room houses, eight three-bedroom houses, and four two-bedroom residences. Two of the 19 houses will be reserved for social housing.
UNION HALL
Elsewhere, in Union Hall, three houses have been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanála after previously being refused by Cork County Council.
The Council had refused permission on the belief that the development would create a traffic hazard by way of an insufficient access road, as well as a query on the ownership of the access road.
However, the applicant showed that the access road would be completed and in place, ‘once the houses are fully occupied’.
They also provided a letter of consent from the landowner.
On examining the appeal documents, An Bord Pleanála recommend that planning permission be granted, contrary to the Council’s decision.
SCHULL
Planning granted for 57 houses for the Colla Road in Schull, meanwhile, have been appealed to An Board Pleanála.
In this case, Cork County Council granted permission for the development in May in the face of about 13 objections, many of which focused on high traffic volumes in the area, particularly at school times.
Three parties have lodged objections with the Board, many of which reiterate concerns made previously to the Council including concerns about inadequate footpaths in the area and cycling infrastructure.
One set of objectors are raising questions about boundary ownership, while other objections related to access road for construction traffic, claims of the ‘clear dangers to pedestrians’ due to the increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and a claim that there is ‘limited demand’ in Schull for this type of development.
A decision is due from the Board in October.
