Judicial review may be sought if project gets go-ahead

THE people of a north Cork town were urged yesterday to seek a judicial review if a developer is granted permission to build 73 houses and a 100-bedroom hotel.

Solicitor Edna English told a meeting held in her home town of Fermoy yesterday, that councillors who are to vote next week on rezoning land for the development should realise its importance as a green space.

Cork city-based Lawton Developments hope to carry out the project adjacent to Fermoy town park and the River Blackwater.

Ms English told prominent businesspeople the town centre site was uniquely important. It is zoned for recreation and amenity uses. She said she was not against a large hotel and more houses but not at the location earmarked.

“I believe there is sufficient grounds for a judicial review and I’ll be urging the people of the town, if the decision goes against them, to seek one,” said Ms English.

“I want to preserve this land for my children and grandchildren. I’m completely against the development proposed on this site,” she added.

Donal O’Lochlainn, who chaired the meeting of concerned citizens, said 230 acres around the town was already zoned for residential construction and any of it would be more suitable than the land adjacent to the town park.

He said that nowhere in the town plan was mention made of a need for a hotel and the land earmarked was visually very important.

The developers say the hotel will be four-storeys, a facet of the project which Cllr Tim Carey described as “a monstrosity.”

John Hickey claimed the town council had failed to properly communicate with the public on the matter and urged its members to defer their decision until a 3D model of the project was put on display.

Barry Connolly was concerned that if the land was rezoned the hotel might never be built. Other contributors said they doubted being so close to Cork city that a 100-bed hotel could generate enough business to survive.

A number of people also expressed concern about road access and safety implications. The site would be accessed from the main Cork-Dublin road at Brian Boru Square and also from the Cork-Mallow road.

Mr O’Lochlainn said the deadline for submissions to the town council was next Friday and he urged as many people as possible to make their concerns formally known.

Lawton Developments says the hotel will feature 100 bedrooms, conference facilities and a leisure centre.

Of the 73 houses to be built on the five-acre site, seven are large detached homes, a number will be three-bedroom detached, while the remainder are three-bedroom town houses and semi-detached houses.