Plans for 162 new homes in Ballincollig have been put on hold by Cork City Council

Cork City Council said it needs more information before it can grant planning permission for the development of 162 new homes in city suburb.

Cork City Council said it needs more information before it can grant planning permission for the development of 162 new homes in city suburb.

Plans for 162 new homes in Ballincollig have been put on hold by Cork City Council, which has said it needs more information before it can grant planning permission for the development.

Developers Coleman New Homes (Blarney) Ltd lodged the plans in November for the Large-Scale Residential Development (LRD) off Maglin Road, west of Cork city.

The plans include a mix of houses and apartments, including four-bed, three-bed and two-bed houses and apartments over five storeys.

Unlike the previous strategic housing development process where plans for huge swathes of housing bypassed the Local Authority and went straight to An Bord Pleanála, the LRD process goes directly to the council in the first instance.

In a report on behalf of the applicant, HW Planning said: “Since the project’s inception, the proposed layout has been strongly influenced by archaeology findings relating to a previously unknown archaeological feature within the site. In addition, the applicants have recently completed the Maglin Green development on the adjacent lands to the north.” 

HW Planning said the project evolved based on previous feedback from Cork City Council and was based at a “highly sustainable location” which benefits from bus services that are set to increase in frequency under the BusConnects plan.

An aerial view of Ballincollig town centre. Picture: Richard Mills.

Submissions

However, the planning application received over a dozen submissions from locals commenting on the proposals. In several identical submissions, concerns were raised over the connectivity for vehicles via Maglin Grove and fears over a loss of green space in the area.

“I do not object to the building of houses on this site and recognise the need for additional housing in line with the expansion plans for Ballincollig,” the submissions said. 

“I do have issues with aspects of the design and vehicular connectivity to the proposed development.” 

Having considered the application and the submissions, Cork City Council has told the developer it must provide further information before a decision can be made on whether to green light the proposed 162 homes.

This includes a range of actions such as undertaking a series of winter bird surveys to determine the “numbers, distribution and frequency of waterbirds using habitats” on the proposed site. Other ecological assessments should be undertaken while the developer must also take action to address the “significant concerns” the council has in relation to drainage on the site.

Referencing the concerns raised by locals, further information is required on the road safety aspects of the development while the council also urges the developer to include childcare provision in the proposed development.

Coleman Homes has six months with which to furnish the council with the information requested, Cork City Council said, with a decision likely due shortly after.