Councillors to seek legal advice over rejection of Kildare Village-style plan for Cork

Office of the Planning Regulator ruled development should not proceed in Carrigtwohill, despite councillors in Cork supporting €100m scheme

An artist's impression of the €100m Cork outlet centre that was proposed for Carrigtwohill.

Cork County Council is to seek “urgent legal advice” in an effort to prevent it “losing” a proposed €100m Kildare Village-type retail outlet centre which would create 850 jobs at a site in East Cork.

Many councillors reacted angrily to news that Local Government and Planning Minister Peter Burke supported the view of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) that development of the retail outlet centre shouldn't proceed in Carrigtwohill.

During a lengthy debate, several councillors proposed getting legal advice on the issue and, ultimately, seeking a judicial review amid fears they would lose the project to another county. Many of them believe Limerick will snap it up if it gets a chance.

It was the first opportunity councillors had to discuss the ministerial view, which was only sent to the local authority two days before Christmas.

Rioja Estates, a British-based company, wants to develop the outlet, which it says would create a further 640 jobs during construction and attract around 220,000 shoppers annually.

Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty said that, last June, councillors voted overwhelmingly to support the Rioja Estates proposal.

“It's regrettable we find ourselves in this situation. We've very little option but to seek legal opinion and go down the road of a judicial review,” he said.

Independent councillor Alan Coleman agreed with him and said if Cork didn't get it, the centre would end up located in another county.  “The senior politicians in our region should reflect on that,” he said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Carroll said: “It's something we shouldn't let go. I find it (the decision of the OPR) an attack on democracy. Our powers as councillors are being continuously eroded.”

Carrigtwohill-based Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said: "I am disgusted with this decision. The planning regulator seems to have gone way beyond his remit. We have to challenge this or it's going to be a huge loss to Cork.

“Look at what the Kildare outlet centre has done for Kildare. There's an extension being put on that which is nearly as big as the one proposed for Carrigtwohill."

Fine Gael councillor Susan McCarthy said she was “absolutely shocked and appalled by the decision”.

“I fully support that this should go through a judicial review. We need to fight for this as much as we can,” she said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy claimed the decision undermines local government. “We didn't take this decision (to support the outlet) lightly. We can't stand idly by and let it slip to another county,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor Gerard Murphy agreed with him and maintained that the OPR “would limit the powers of councillors all over the country". 

“It's a very sad day for local government. We certainly need to have a judicial review on this,” Labour councillor James Kennedy said.

Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy said he was "absolutely shocked” that no senior ministers in the county had backed the county councillors' view that the project should proceed.

“It's absolutely vital we go down the legal route with this,“ Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern said.

County council chief executive Tim Lucey said he would get legal advice on the issue “as a matter of urgency". He said he remained satisfied that the Rioja Estates project represented sustainable planning.