Cairn Homes get approval for major Cork city housing development

One of the largest housing developments proposed for the Cork city area has An Bord Pleanála approval.

Developer, Cairn Homes, has been given the green light to proceed with its proposal for 472 new houses on a site at Castletreasure near Douglas. It includes 234 semi-detached and terraced houses, along with 93 duplexes and 145 apartment and represents one of the biggest developments in the county.

The development also includes a number of play areas, active amenity spaces and circa 4.4 hectares of landscaped parkland which runs northwest to southeast through the site.

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

A decision was initially due to be made in August but was delayed to allow for the staging of an oral hearing on the issue of stormwater management. This was held on September 19 in the Metropole Hotel in Cork city.

The board has now considered the matters raised and recommended that the development proceed, subject to a number of conditions. These include a request to submit revised drawings and information on matters such as bicycle parking, refuse storage and the proposed 'parklets' and public playgrounds on the site, as well as including information on traffic management and the measures to be taken to mitigate potential impact on the environment.

In its decision, the Board said: "The proposed development would constitute an acceptable residential density at this location, would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development, would be acceptable in terms of stormwater management, as well as in terms of pedestrian and traffic safety and convenience."

Developer Cairn Homes declined to comment when contacted.