Plan to sell controversial site halted by furious councillors

FURIOUS councillors halted a controversial land sale last night after learning about it first in this newspaper.

Cork’s city councillors accused city management of a “breach of trust” and claimed they were kept in the dark about the city council’s proposals to sell the site at Deanrock in Togher.

The Irish Examiner reported last week the council planned to sell by tender the former site of 108 “eyesore” apartments that were demolished in 2007.

Up to 400 residents of the 1970s-built NBA flats were rehoused by the local authority before the flats were demolished in January 2007.

The initial plans for the site had been for new, replacement quality social housing and other mixed and community uses, including a primary care health centre. But the 3.7-acre site has lain idle since.

The Irish Examiner reported last Thursday the council was now planning to sell the site and was seeking development proposals from interested parties by April 1.

It prompted an angry response from councillors at last night’s council meeting.

Fine Gael Cllr John Buttimer slated city officials for keeping councillors in the dark and he called for the sale to be halted.

“I was very surprised when I saw it up for sale. When was this decision made, who was present at the meeting, and why now?” he asked.

He was backed by Labour Cllr Michael Ahern and Fianna Fáil Cllr Sean Martin who also slated city officials.

“We read it in the Examiner first. This was done without consultation with councillors. The sale of lands is a reserved function and it is the councillors who decide if it’s to be sold or not,” he said.

Mr Ahern also questioned the decision to sell at a time when the property market is at rock bottom. “We want to sell land at a time when it’s at its cheapest. NAMA won’t sell land. Nobody wants to sell land now,” he said.

Mr Martin said he was “stunned” at how the matter had been handled.

“It’s extraordinary that this is happening behind councillors’ backs,” he said.

Assistant city manager Dan Buggy said there was no attempt to mislead councillors.

“It will come back before you and you can make an informed decision then on whether to sell or otherwise,” he said.

But Mr Buttimer said it was crazy to invite developers to come forward with proposals for the site without any regard for what the local community had discussed over the last four years, including HSE plans for a primary care health centre on the site.

Councillors then agreed unanimously to withdraw the site from sale.

The issue will be discussed at the next meeting of the council’s housing strategic policy committee.