O'Flynn Group to lodge fresh plans for Ballincollig housing scheme seeking larger development of 159 homes
Computer-generated view of the original 123-apartment development planned by O'Flynn Construction on Ballincollig's Old Fort Road, which is set to be replaced by an even larger residential scheme comprising 159 units
The next chapter in a long-running battle for a new housing scheme in Cork is expected later this month with property giant O'Flynn Group set to lodge a fresh bid for almost 160 homes on the Old Fort Road in Ballincollig.
The scheme, which worked its way through the Irish courts throughout its six-year saga to the European Court of Justice, is now set to expand further, with original plans for 123 apartments being replaced by a larger development comprising 159 units.
O'Flynn Construction Company first received planning from An Coimisiún Pleanála in 2020 for 123 one- and two-bedroom apartments and a crèche on Old Fort Road before it was challenged in the High Court by a local residents group.
The court overturned the planning commission's decision after finding that it failed to comply with planning and development regulations concerning the screening of projects.
The Supreme Court then reversed this decision in a direct appeal from An Coimisiún Pleanála. It was then referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which ultimately ruled in favour of O'Flynn Group.
Following the long-running legal battle, the O'Flynn Group lodged a new application for the 123-apartment development, as the original 2020 bid was set to expire.
However, in May 2025, the planning commission rejected the same development it had supported in 2020, citing issues with the development's dwelling-size mix which "materially contravened" the Cork City Development Plan.
Cork City Council updated its development plan in 2022 while the case was in the courts. Objective 11.2 of the new plan requires a certain proportion of one-, two-, three- and four-bed units for an urban town development with more than 50 planned homes. According to the 2022 plan, 25% of the proposed dwellings must have three bedrooms, while 10% should have at least four.
The commission said the plans lodged by O'Flynn Construction Company, which were filed before the development plan was updated, did not include the new requirements for three- and four-bedroom units. Of the 123 apartments proposed, 32% were marked as one-bed, with the remaining 68% comprising two-bed units.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner at the time, chairman and CEO of the property group Michael O'Flynn said the planning commission's refusal was "quite extraordinary" given that it is the same application that it approved in 2020 and fought for in the Supreme Court.
"The only reason we re-applied was that the planning permission was due to expire, given that it took so long in the courts," Mr O'Flynn said.
Now, the chairman and CEO has confirmed to the Irish Examiner that the new, larger application is set to be lodged by the end of this month.
"We're going back in for a new large-scale residential scheme," said Mr O'Flynn. "Our last application got refused after the first one made it all the way to Europe, so we are now going in for a larger development, with more units and more density, which will meet the new guidelines.
"We will include the three- and four-bedroom units, adding more density to the original plans. We will be lodging those plans very shortly."
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