Planning appeals board overturns council decision on €650k for roundabout.
THE developer building West Cork’s largest housing scheme of 246 homes in Clonakilty has successfully appealed a planning condition relating to a financial contribution.
Last November, HB Cloheen Developments Ltd was granted planning permission by Cork County Council for the €100m LRD (Large Residential Development) at Clogheen, 1.2km from the town centre, with 66 conditions attached.
One condition was that HB Cloheen Developments Ltd was to pay a special contribution of €650,233 before construction commenced which would cover works on a roundabout at the junction of the N71 and Lady’s Cross.
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Cork County Council said that the scheme should be subject to a special contribution in respect of specific exceptional costs, not covered in the Council’s General Contribution Scheme, for the provision of a roundabout at the junction of the N71 and active travel infrastructure on the same route, which will be covered by Cork County Council.
However, HB Cloheen Developments Ltd successfully appealed this condition to An Coimisiún Pleanála which means they will not now have to pay that special contribution.
A senior planning inspector recommended that the condition be removed and pointed out that the works, namely the provision of a roundabout, would benefit not only the proposed development but also serve a much ‘broader overall purpose and function’ providing benefits to a wider area.
The proposed development on a nine-acre site will include 177 houses, 60 apartment blocks, 12 one-bed sheltered housing units as well as 50 social housing units and a creche with the capacity to accommodate 65 children.
The mixed scheme will also include three five-bedroom houses, 41 four-bedroom houses, 90 three-beds, 31 two-bed and 12 one-beds.
Six two-storey apartment blocks, each with four units, will provide 24 two-bedroom apartments.
There will also be three three-storey apartments blocks with 15 units each, offering 36 two-bedroom and nine one-bed apartments,
The scheme also includes provision for car parking as well as private, communal and public spaces, internal roads and pathways, pedestrian and cycle routes.
As reported in The Southern Star last week, Castle Rock Homes (Bandon) Ltd has also appealed to An Coimisún Pleanála a financial contribution listed as a condition of planning permission for a large-scale scheme of 212 houses at Knockbrogan in Bandon.
Castle Rock Homes similarly claims it is being levied twice for a road upgrade which serves a wider catchment area and should be funded by the State.
A condition attached to the planning permission by Cork County Council requests an investment of €678,000 to upgrade the Old Cork Road.
