Major Cork city housing development delayed

A major housing development of almost 500 units on the southside of Cork city has been delayed to allow for an oral hearing to take place.

Cairn Homes had proposed the development of 472-units on a site at Castletreasure near Douglas.

It included 234 semi-detached and terraced houses, along with 93 duplexes and 145 apartment and represented one of the biggest developments in the county.

The application was submitted directly to An Bord Pleanála under the Strategic Housing Development Scheme (SHD), which allows developers to bypass local authorities in order to fasttrack the development of schemes of more than 100 units.

A decision was due to be made last week but An Bord Pleanála has now confirmed that an oral hearing will take place in the coming weeks, with a final decision now due on October 10.

It is understood that the oral hearing will be limited to the issue of drainage.

Peter Horgan, Labour representative on the southside of Cork city, said it is essential to get it right when it comes to basic infrastructures, such as drainage.

"472 houses is a significant development and it will have a significant impact in any area," he said.

Mr Horgan said he has concerns about the SHD scheme in general: "People deserve clarity when it comes to these major developments.

"With these schemes, it bypasses a local planning authority and often people can feel cut out of the loop.

"It limits the opportunity to make objections or to make positive submissions on these developments and I don't think it is right.

"It can lead to some discontent among local people who feel they haven't been consulted."