Town developments face delays as EU seeks to protect mussel

Major housing and industrial developments along the Blackwater Valley in Co Cork are likely to be put on hold due to an EU directive aimed at protecting the freshwater pearl mussel.

As a result of the directive, Cork County Council will have to undertake a survey of the River Blackwater. If the mollusc is present in significant numbers, as is believed, it will have huge implications for future economic development in the region.

The problem came to light during a debate on the County Development Plan, at which council officials said they had no choice but to abide by the EU directive. Council chief executive Tim Lucey said it would hit the council’s plans to increase populations in a number of towns up to 2022.

The County Development Plan proposes, for example, to create a further 4,552 and 900 housing units in Mallow and Fermoy respectively in the next seven years, but this could add to water pollution.

Towns and villages close to rivers which feed the Blackwater will also be affected, such as Newmarket, Buttevant, Millstreet, and Kanturk.

Andrew Hind, the council’s head of planning, described it as “a sensitive and difficult issue” and, pending the outcome of the studies, “the implementation of population targets in these areas may have to be put on hold”.

He said the EU wanted to ensure the Blackwater was of the highest quality required to support the mussel. “If the pearl mussel is more widespread than we suspect, then we will have to have discussions with government departments about the needs of the region,” said Mr Hind.

Consultants are expected to complete the first of two assessments by February, after which additional studies may be carried out.

If these studies show high numbers of the mussel exist then Irish Water will have to carry out significant investment in sewage treatment systems along the valley before any further large-scale development can take place.

Fianna Fáil councillor Frank O’Flynn said the council badly needed more social housing in Fermoy and could not now develop 26 acres of land it has there. “There’s no proof the freshwater mussel is in the Fermoy area anyway,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor Gerard Murphy said: “I appreciate council’s hands are tied to some extent because of European directives, but I hope these studies will allow some form of reasonable development.”

Mr Lucey said he believed small-scale housing estates and one-off houses would not be affected by the directive.

Mayor of County Cork Alan Coleman said it was “the most serious issue” in the County Development Plan and it put “major developments in the next five to six years in jeopardy”.

Mr Lucey said the first assessment would be carried out downstream of Mallow and the second would be undertaken upstream from there at a later date.