Minister's objection jeopardizes Kildare Village-style centre in Cork

Minister for Local Government, Darragh O’Brien, also wants the zoning of lands in Bantry and Corrin to be changed

Councillors have reacted furiously to Mr O’Brien’s intervention over the Cork Tourist Outlet Village, with many calling it an attack on local democracy. File photo

Plans for a €800m retail centre in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, have been put in jeopardy again, along with zoning for industry and housing in other towns across the county.

The need for such projects was cemented in the recently launched County Development Plan (CDP) 2022–2027. However, Cork County Council has been informed of an objection to elements of the plan from Minister for Local Government, Darragh O’Brien, on foot of advice he has received from the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).

The county council has been embroiled in a long-running battle with the OPR over a proposed Kildare Village-style retail centre in Carrigtwohill, East Cork.

The local authority thought the issue had been finally resolved recently when it won a judgement in the High Court that it acted properly in approving, in principle, that the development should be allowed to proceed to the planning stage.

But Minister O’Brien has now said a joint retail study must be undertaken by Cork County Council and Cork City Council in advance of the retail project proceeding, which could take a considerable amount of time.

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County councillors fear a further delay will frustrate the developers to such an extent they will pull out of the project and seek to relocate it somewhere else in the Munster area. Mr O’Brien also wants another section of land in Carrigtwohill zoned for high-density housing, instead of the medium density agreed by councillors.

In addition, he wants land proposed to be zoned for housing in Bantry to revert to agricultural use only. He is also objecting to councillors zoning land for industrial use at Corrin, south of Fermoy, and is against a proposed rezoning of the former mart site in the same town to facilitate the construction of an NCT centre.

Councillors have reacted furiously to Mr O’Brien’s intervention, with many calling it an attack on local democracy.

Fine Gael councillor John O’Sullivan said: “This is effectively a vote of no confidence in the 55 councillors here, our management and our planning department. 

This is a slap in the face to members of Cork County Council and it’s a bad day for local democracy.

The council is obliged to enter into a two-week public consultation on his suggestions, which will get underway on Friday, June 17.

During this period, at the request of the Mayor of County Cork, Fianna Fáil councillor Gillian Coughlan, councillors and the officials will hold a special meeting on the issues raised by Mr O’Brien and seek further legal advice on what they can do to prevent him and the OPR overriding their County Development Plan decisions.

Council chief executive Tim Lucey said councillors could make individual or collective submissions on Mr O’Brien’s views.

Councillors are also seeking a meeting with Mr O’Brien to discuss their concerns and want to meet the three government ministers based in Cork South Central – Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, Michael McGrath, and Minister for Foreign Affairs & Defence, Simon Coveney, to seek support for their views.