Proposed motorway could lead to further flooding, warns An Taisce

LOBBY group An Taisce has warned there is no justification in building a major motorway in north-west Cork, claiming it could inadvertently cause further flooding in the area.

In its submission to An Bord Pleanála, the environmental group said building the Baile Bhuirne-Macroom N22 extension was based on a “failed international development model” and contradicted the Government’s “smarter travel” policies.

The group has warned that a number of issues – including impact to the local eco-system, possible water pollution – bring into question the value of the move.

However, it has specifically stated that building on a reservoir basin near Ballyvourney could put nearby property at risk from potential future flooding – a situation it said would make the value of the road obsolete.

The development was halted in 2007 after a rare form of Kerry slug was found inhabiting the area, indicating its environmental value.

However, while a decision over renewing construction work on the site may restart after a decision by An Bord Pleanála next month, the submission from An Taisce has urged such a move to be blocked.

“Cork County Council, which is fronting this application, and the National Roads Authority (NRA), which is the real applicant in this case, have failed to justify either the need for this road proposal or its strategic justification as an investment priority,” the group’s submission claimed.

Referring to the impact of a diversion on the Owengarve River, the environmental lobby group openly asked whether such a move “could cause flooding problems later”.

A spokesperson for Cork County Council could not be contacted last night.

While An Taisce has raised concerns over the value of the development, it is seen as essential by those dependent on a high-class infrastructure between Kerry and north west Cork.

The new road was first put forward by planners more than 30 years ago, while the area between Ballyvourney and Mons is regarded by the National Roads Authority (NRA) as one of the worst sections of national primary road in Ireland.

After the 2007 delay, the development was described by Environment Minister John Gormley as the “umbilical cord” between Cork and Kerry.