Objectors to water scheme may go to court

OBJECTORS are expected to take their fight against a €14.5 million water scheme to the courts after Bord Pleanála granted Cork County Council a conditional order to proceed with the project.

The planning appeals board ruled that the controversial scheme in Bantry is necessary and is in accordance within proper planning guidelines. However, Bord Pleanála’s conditional order means that the county council will have to inform objectors in writing of its intention to proceed with the project.

Objectors have repeatedly said they will take court action, even all the way to the European Court, against proposals to build a reservoir on the outskirts of the town. It is understood the conditional order gives them the right to take a case to the Circuit Court. Meanwhile, Bord Pleanála yesterday granted permission for 127 homes and a crèche at Farranastig, Whitechurch, to developer Dan Buckley. The board attached a number of condition to the project, which had been objected to by some locals.

Forestbrook Developments Ltd, on the other hand, was refused permission to proceed with a project of 61 houses at Sallybrook, Glanmire.Two major planning applications from the same Blarney-based developer were lodged with Cork County Council officials yesterday.

O’Leary & O’Sullivan Developments Ltd have submitted proposals for nearly 100 houses, retail units and a community centre ay Courtbrack, Vicarstown.

In total the company is proposing to build 98 dwellings. These will consist a mixture of townhouses, semi-detached houses and 36 detached homes. In addition the developers are seeking to build a 500 sq metre two-storey crèche and a slightly larger two-storey community centre.

The commercial element of the project will consist of a three-storey building containing four retail units, four offices and four enterprise units. The company also proposes to create nine serviced sites.

Coleman Deady, of Deady’s Bar at Ballyclough, has received the go-ahead for 28 houses and five serviced sites at Ballyclough, near Mallow.

Meanwhile, developer John O’Flynn has been given the green light by council officials to proceed with demolishing the old Convent School House in his home town of Doneraile. He is to replace the building with 15 houses.

An application has been lodged for significant improvements at St Patrick’s Church in Innishannon. Fr John Kingston is proposing to demolish the existing porch/bell tower and construct a new entrance and tower to the front of the church.

He is seeking to carry out what he terms ‘significant improvements and refurbishments’ to the church, both externally and internally and to carry out landscaping works and to construct a new boundary wall.