PLANNERS have asked for additional information regarding​ West Cork Music’s plans to develop a multi-purpose venue in Bantry.

As the promoter of three​ annual festivals, West Cork Music (WCM) delivers an economic impact of more than €8m every year.

The company wants to demolish a single-storey retail warehouse close to the library, and construct a three-storey music and events centre with a café and a bar, a ticket office, foyer, education hub, changing rooms, shower and toilet facilities, a green room, a technical support centre and offices.

Cork County Council’s planning department wrote to WCM advising: ‘It is considered that the information submitted with the application is not yet sufficient to enable the planning authority to make a decision in this case.’

The company has been asked to clarify its noise impact assessment report and specify its proposed days and hours of operation.

WCM has also been asked to clarify whether noise monitoring has been undertaken at weekends to quantify the ambient external noise environment.

And the local authority has asked for more information about the predicted noise levels at ‘the nearest noise sensitive locations’ during the construction phase.

Planners identified seven possible sources of noise during the Chamber Music Festival, the West Cork Literary Festival, and the Masters of Tradition Festival, noting: ‘Any calculations available should be submitted and included, in order to support the final conclusions and derived predicted noise levels arising at noise sensitive locations.’

WCM has been asked to demonstrate that there is sufficient and safe access for fire brigade vehicles.

And, in the event of an emergency, there would be sufficient water services available in the area.

In terms of the overall ecology of the site, the council observed that the development ‘involves the demolition of buildings on site which has the potential to support bats and also the removal of the southern treeline which also has potential to be used as a commuting corridor for bat species’.

WCM must now carry out a bat activity survey including an emergence and re-entry survey of the buildings and submit these results to the planning authority.

Planners made the observation: ‘Should bats use the southern boundary of the site as a commuting corridor, consideration should be given to the retention and enhancement of this treeline.’

In addition, the council noted that a number of invasive species have been identified on site including Butterfly Bush, Cherry Laurel, Three-cornered Garlic and Winter Heliotrope. And that a warning sign for Japanese Knotweed was identified on the site.

It stated that the applicant must carry out a survey for invasive plant species within the main growing season, and prepare a detailed management plan for same.

The company must also submit a revised flood risk assessment that would account for the impact of displaced flood water on third parties caused by alterations to ground levels, the impact of proposed surface water drainage to adjoining areas, and the impact of reducing a floodplain.

In the letter sent to WCM, a planning official stated that the application would be declared withdrawn if all further information is not submitted within six months of June 10th, or within any period subsequently agreed by the planning authority.

A spokesperson for the design team behind West Cork Music’s plans for the venue and education hub said they expect to respond within weeks to the request for further information, adding: ‘This is a normal part of the planning process.’