Another West Cork housing development scuppered by lack of water connection

A 10-home development in Rosscarbery is the latest to be shot down because Irish Water cannot supply the necessary infrastructure for the area. Picture: David Patterson

Another new housing development in West Cork has been refused planning because Irish Water is “not in a position to facilitate a water connection to cater for this development”.

The application for 10 new houses next to the existing Gleann Alainn housing estate in Rosscarbery, refused planning by Cork County Council, is the latest in the Clonakilty Water Supply Zone (WSZ) to be halted due to a lack of capacity in the local water supply system.

Planning refusal for the Rosscarbery development follows a refusal just two weeks ago to a proposal to build 93 new homes in Clonakilty also due to insufficient water supply capacity.

Widespread anger

The Clonakilty WSZ covers a wide area of West Cork including Clonakilty, Courtmacsherry, Rosscarbery, and surrounding villages. Development in the area has been effectively halted due to the lack of water capacity, provoking widespread anger among local politicians.

Irish Water said, “The Clonakilty WSZ is currently subject to constraints, and upgrade works are required to provide additional capacity. The construction of the required upgrade works to provide the necessary capacity to cater for your proposal is not planned for within our current investment plan or within the lifetime of any planning that may be granted in the nearby future.” 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Local Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan said that currently Irish Water is not in a position to connect developments of more than one house but he has been assured that, given the seriousness of the situation, plans to improve supply in Clonakilty are being accelerated.

“This has serious negative repercussions in the midst of a housing crisis where we are trying to increase supply and we are trying to reach a target of 33,000 houses per year,” he said.

Hampering housing supply

“In an area like Clonakilty, that has been earmarked for expansion of about 30%, this is seriously hampering supply and it’s increasing pressure on the people who want to buy a house for the first time or people who want to rent so it needs to be addressed.” 

He said he has raised it with the Taoiseach and Cork County Council.

"The understanding is that in March or April of this year that a scheme will be announced that will aim to deliver water supply to Clonakilty within the next 18 months.

“The original timeline for the interim solution was five to seven years and that has been expedited and they expect to deliver within 18 months. If that’s the case, any planning that has previously been in the system, where water supply is the only issue, those should be granted if planning is sought again and that’s welcome news,” he said.

Vital infrastructure

Local independent councillor Paul Hayes said it is an ongoing issue highlighted for some time. 

"We knew that a major house building drive was needed to address the serious lack of housing in the country, yet the Government hasn't invested in the vital infrastructure needed to service this level of development.

“Irish Water can't just wash their hands of this and need to meaningfully engage with national and local government to bring about solutions that will remedy the severe shortage of water that we currently have in many parts of west Cork, in particular in and around Clonakilty.” 

He said other housing developments in Rosscarbery, Clonakilty, and Courtmacsherry are also stuck in limbo for similar reasons.