Housing project gets green light for Cork village despite strong opposition

Planning permission has been granted for a new housing development on the outskirts of the Cork village of Whitechurch, despite strong opposition from local residents.

An Bord Pleanála has rejected an appeal by several parties including the Barleyfield Residents Committee against the decision of Cork County Council to approve the development by Hallmark Building Services of 44 houses on a 2.3hectare site at Farranastig, around 200 metres from the centre of the village.

A previous grant of planning permission by the board in 2005 which had approved the construction of 131 houses on a larger site in the same location had lapsed, while an application for 26 houses on the site in 2017 was withdrawn due to uncertainty about water supplies in the area.

In making its latest decision, the board said it had regard for the fact the Cobh Municipal District Local Area Plan had a specific objective of encouraging the development of up to 50 extra homes in Whitechurch.

Subject to compliance with 22 planning conditions, the board said it did not believe the scheme would seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area or have an adverse impact on the rural character of the village.

In addition, An Bord Pleanála said the development was acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.

Although the developers acknowledged there were water supply constraints in Whitechurch, they said they had extensive talks with Irish Water which had resulted in an alternative supplementary supply being identified.

Residents of six houses in Barleyfield, which were built as the first phase of the development, objected to the new scheme, which is designed to be accessed through the cul-de-sac serving their homes.

They claimed the plans would result in a serious deterioration of existing facilities, particularly in relation to water supply and drainage.

They complained about pH levels in the existing water supply which left an undesirable taste in the water and had forced many households to replace dishwashers and washing machines.

The Barleyfield Residents Committee said the development would “result in an over-intensification of use and density which is unsustainable given the circumstances peculiar to the site.” 

It also claimed there were more suitable sites within Whitechurch to build additional housing in the village and pointed out that the local area plan specified that any single development in the village should not exceed 20 homes.

Hallmark said it was intended to develop the site in two phases of 22 houses each.