Planning regulator wants half of new houses in Cork City 'in existing built-up areas'

Cork City is expected to grow its housing stock by 31,200 units by 2031

The OPR welcomed plans by the two local authorities in Cork to prepare a Joint Housing Strategy. File Picture: PA

Ambitious targets for increased population and housing in Cork City need to ensure that most new development is concentrated in existing built-up areas, according to the State’s planning watchdog.

The Office of the Planning Regulator has warned that Cork City Council could come under pressure to develop extensive greenfield land banks in the city’s hinterland as a result of the five-fold increase in the council’s administrative area following changes to its boundaries with Cork County Council last year.

The warning comes as the council is preparing its draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 which aims to give effect to policies set out in the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy that envisage significant levels of growth for Cork over the next decade.

They include projections of the city’s population growing by 75,000 by 2031 and its housing stock by an additional 31,200 units, while employment is set to grow by an extra 47,000 jobs.

However, the OPR’s deputy planning regulator, Anne Marie O’Connor, said the growth targets laid out for Cork City in the Government’s national and regional planning policies were based on them being achieved through “compact growth”.

“The development plan will be required to ensure that at least 50% of all new homes targeted for Cork City will be delivered within the existing footprint of the city and its suburbs,” Ms O’Connor said.

In a letter to the council, the OPRset out broad areas for the local authority to consider in its formulation of the draft development plan.

Ms O’Connor said the council was required to set out specific objectives to achieve the development of obsolete and underutilised buildings and brownfield sites.

The OPR said the council would need to achieve appropriate housing density levels in the city centre, along the corridor of the proposed light rail system between Ballincollig and Mahon Point and the outer suburb of Monard which is earmarked for targeted growth.

It said it would be essential for the council’s development plan to facilitate a significant move away from the use of private cars to address targets for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport.

It said the development plan should also seek to address high housing vacancy rates through the council pursuing proactive measures.

The OPR welcomed plans by the two local authorities in Cork to prepare a Joint Housing Strategy.

It also encouraged both councils to urgently pursue the preparation of a Joint Retail Strategy to ensure that “an appropriate range of retail development may be facilitated across both planning authorities on an ongoing basis.” 

Computer-generated image of the Cork Luas system. The Office of the Planning Regulator said strengthened connectivity would be important enablers for economic development.

Ms O’Connor noted Cork City Council had already highlighted the recent challenges facing retailers in the city centre which had been exacerbated by Government measures aimed at tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

The OPR clashed with Cork County [sic] Council earlier this year over the local authority’s refusal to follow the regulator’s direction to reverse its plans which would allow for the development of a €100m “tourist outlet village” near Carrigtwohill in east Cork.

It said strengthened connectivity between the city, large suburbs and towns and Cork Airport and the Port of Cork in Ringaskiddy and implementation of the €3.5bn Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy would be important enablers for economic development.

The OPR acknowledged the challenge faced by the council in presenting a succinct plan which would engage the public given the many national and regional policy developments it had to take on board.

It said a 144-page “issues paper” published by the council to inform the public about its plans for the new city development plan would benefit from having “a short digest of the main issues the public’s views are sought on”.

The regulator praised Cork City Council for the range of measures it had introduced to engage the public including webinars, surveys, youth engagement, use of social media and arrangements for one-to-one meetings.