Mar 10
13
On January 27th, notice was given by Cork City Council in accordance with Section 34(6) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 that the Council intends to consider deciding to grant a permission for development at site at “Ballinure, Mahon, Cork”.
This material contravention arose due to a planning application by Cleary Developments. The proposed development (click here to view) will consist of an office development of a total Gross Floor Area of 32,318 sq.m. in a series of three blocks with internal streets on lands at Ballinure, Mahon, Cork. The proposal will range from 2 floors over ground to 7 floors over ground with ground floor commercial uses comprising of Retail Units, Retail Offices, Showrooms/Commercial Units, Primary Care Centre and Financial Services Unit, Leisure Centre and Restaurant; these proposed units will front onto the Ring Mahon Road, internal Mahon Point Shopping Centre access road and Estuary Drive. The proposal also allows for commercial uses such as Café Bistro (located in the internal street), landscaping, access revisions at the Mahon Point Junction access, basement car parking over two levels, access to the basement car park off the Mahon Point Shopping Centre internal access; access/egress to Estuary Drive from the basement at Ballinure, Mahon, Cork.
The proposed development would materially contravene Land-Use Zoning Objective 5 ‘Residential, Local Services and Institutional Uses’ of the Cork City Development Plan 2009-2015, the objective of which is to protect and provide for residential uses, local services, and institutional and civic uses.
The piece of land in question is the waste land beside the National Software Centre in Mahon. There were no objections received by City Council since the material contravention notice was advertised, neither by local residents or indeed the NRA.
A report received by the City Councillors this week from the Manger, stated that “The development proposed has the prospect of creating an extra 1,500 jobs in the area. The adjacent development carried out by the same applicant in recent times has been very successful and has delivered in the region of 1,000 jobs.”
To view a copy of the planners report on the application, click here (pdf)
If you have any views or question on the application, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. A special meeting of the City Council will take place this Monday, the 15th, to make a decision on this issue. A two thirds majority is required to pass the Material Contravention (i.e. 23 of 31 councillors)
In advance of the debate, it is my intention to vote to alter the development plan, based on the recommendations of both the Director of Planning and the City Manager.
Update: At Council tonight, those members of the Council present (26 of 31), voted unanimously to contravene the City Development plan, following a commitment from City Manager that development charges will be ringfenced for upgraded traffic plan in Mahon.
