Residents urged to fight plans to build new town

THE majority of residents who live near the location of a proposed new town, west of Cork city, firmly oppose the plan — and must lobby their politicians, a newly formed action group strongly advised.

Local residents have been urged by the newly formed Annaghmore Action Group, to send their objections to Cork County Council ahead of an October 17 deadline for submissions to a draft county development plan.

The local group plans to oppose plans for the construction of a new town at a site at Annaghmore, between Innishannon and the village of Halfway.

Around 80 people attended a public meeting on Tuesday night to discuss proposals by O’Flynn Construction to locate about 1,500 homes, sports, leisure and recreation facilities and provision for schools and churches, at a 200-hectare site.

Currently farmland, the sites are off the N71 on the main Cork-Bandon road about 17 km from the city.

Garrett Sayers, spokesman for the action group, said: “We asked for a show of hands on the development. Around 85% of people said they were opposed to it.

“We feel that the show of hands is representative of the general feeling in the area. There is widespread opposition to this proposal.”

The action group, he said, fears the development — which could provide for a population of 3,000 people — could cause serious traffic gridlock and flooding.

Mr Sayers said the group was preparing a spearhead submission to Cork County Council on local opposition to the plan. The next step, he said, was for local people to prepare and submit their objections to the local authority and lobby their politicians.

“The meeting was addressed by Cllr Kevin Murphy who told us that both Bandon and Kinsale town councils are also opposed to this development because of the effect it could have on them,” he noted.

Locals fear the new development would contribute to serious traffic gridlock at key points such as the roundabout near Dunnes Stores at Bishopstown.

They are also concerned both about flooding upstream and downstream of the proposed development and say they fear its location could discourage potential home-buyers from investing in towns and villages like Bandon and Innishannon.