Planners urged to 'rectify' the wrongs of Bessborough by refusing permission
MVB Two is seeking permission to build apartments on lands of the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Blackrock, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
David Dodd, the pro-bono barrister for the Cork Survivors and Supporters Alliance (CSSA), which is opposing plans to build apartments on the former Bessborough estate, made his comments despite reassurance from the developers, MWB Two, that they do not want to build on the graves or remains of the children who died in the institution.
On the final day of An Bord Pleanála’s virtual hearing into the 179-unit strategic housing development project at Bessborough, Mr Dodd said the wrongs of the past cannot be rectified. However, he told senior planning inspector, Karen Kenny, that small actions can, to some extent, make good those wrongs.
He said CSSA is not opposed to residential development on the site, just to development on the burial ground.
“Should these people be entitled to go and visit the last place of rest of children? The answer is yes. We are trying to rectify that as best we can,” he said.
Earlier, MWB Two’s barrister, David Holland, presented a memo to the inspector setting out the firm’s position in relation to conditions which may be considered by the board if it opts to grant planning. It said the developers would, if so directed, agree:
- To conduct forensic site investigation works to determine the possible presence of human remains in the contested area;
- To survivor oversight of those works;
- To the scope and management of the work being informed by the methods used in the forensic archaeological investigation of the Sean Ross Abbey burial ground — another former mother and baby home;
- To the works being open to spot checks by survivor group representatives.
It said there will be no development over any children’s burial ground with "human remains in situ", and it committed to funding and developing any memorial of the legacy of the site should that be attached as a condition.
Mr Holland said while the planning appeals board is confined to consider proper planning and sustainable development matters, he said the cultural significance and experience of the Bessborough survivors’ story is “a proper planning matter” that it should also consider.
However, Mr Dodd told Ms Kenny that the memo was bringing her into “very, very deep water” and was an attempt by the developers to use potential planning conditions to guide development on a former mother and baby home site pending the introduction of the Institutional Burials Bill, which will allow for excavations and reinterment of remains at former mother and baby homes.
In her closing submission, Cork City councillor Lorna Bogue told Ms Kenny she was speaking on behalf of all city councillors who are of the view that this site should not be developed and should be left as “a sacred site”.
Mr Holland said many human rights were wronged during the operation of mother and baby homes and the grief that still lives on is extraordinary.
However, he said to sterilise this landbank simply because it once formed part of the Bessborough estate, or because it has come to represent the tragedy of Bessborough, would be disproportionate in a legal sense.
“We offer an opportunity to find out the truth of this site. The board should not stand in the way of this opportunity,” he said.
Closing the hearing, Ms Kenny thanked all who had made contributions, particularly survivor representatives and campaigners, over the last three days. She will now prepare a report for the board with a planning decision due before the end of May.
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