Housing development blocked over flood fears

Local residents have blocked a large new housing development in Cloghroe amid concerns it was on a site prone to flooding as well as posing a road safety hazard.

Senandale Residents’ Association successfully appealed last year’s decision by Cork County Council to grant planning permission for the development of 74 houses at Dromin, Cloghroe — a village around 4km west of Blarney. An Bord Pleanála said the southern portion of the site, which would be used to access the proposed the new housing development, was at risk of flooding.

The board said that it considered the project premature pending the carrying out of works to mitigate flooding along the Ballincollig-Kanturk road.

“The proposed development would therefore, be contrary to public safety and to the above mentioned guidelines and would seriously injure the amenities of future residents,” it added.

Senandale, which is one of three existing small housing estates in Cloghroe, adjoins the site of the proposed development. As part of the plans, developers Paul Coburn and Kevin McDonnell had also proposed a new access road linking the estate to the R579 Ballincollig-Kanturk road. Local residents expressed concern that no traffic assessment or road safety audit on the proposed development had been carried out. They also pointed to the lack of cycle facilities and “substandard” public footpaths in the area.

The residents’ association said they had identified an alternative access site which would also avoid the area of the site prone to flooding.

It also objected to the development on the grounds that the local area plan for Tower recommended a cap of 40 units in any new residential scheme in the area.

The developers claimed their proposal should be seen in the context of the urgent need for high-quality residential accommodation and addressing unchecked rural housing in the open countryside. However, An Bord Pleanála said the minimisation of flood risk to the site could only be achieved in conjunction with an integrated programme of works on the R579. In the absence of such works which would be delivered by public authorities, it said the scenario of a one in 100-year flood event or greater would leave the proposed housing estate “potentially marooned”.