Planned homes on Cork's Vita Cortex site move closer after remediation works approved

Investigations on the site revealed 'historic soil and groundwater contamination at the site' that must be addressed before the land could be developed, planning documents said

The former Vita Cortex plant is to be developed for residential use. Picture: Denis Minihane

Long-running plans to build homes on the former Vita Cortex plant site in Ballyphehane in Cork City have moved a step closer, after developers received a green light to conduct essential remediation works.

Planning documents submitted to Cork City Council on behalf of Fronville Ltd said investigations on the site over the past three years revealed “historic soil and groundwater contamination at the site” that must be addressed before the land could be developed.

“The site will be developed for primarily residential use over the course of the next several years,” it said. 

“However, the proposed development and end-use scenario — residential or commercial — has not been finalised as yet.” 

The site itself was the scene of a famous sit-in by workers which started in 2011 after the company announced the closure of the Vita Cortex factory on the Kinsale Road. The company had produced foam for furniture and packaging industries.

Staff staged the action after they were left without redundancy payments following the factory’s swift closure.

The sit-in lasted a marathon 161 days, finally ending in May 2012 when the workers emerged victorious.

The dispute gained national and international headlines, and was, at the time, one of the longest-running industrial relations disputes in modern Irish history.

All remaining plant, products and wastes from the manufacturing process were removed for recovery and disposal in 2015. The site was then declared derelict in 2017, and it has lain idle since.

The Irish Examiner previously reported there were plans for a mixed-use residential and retail development in the works, with an apartment block and discount retail store featuring in pre-planning talks.

Furthermore, the site was the target of a series of arson attacks two years ago, along with other such attacks on derelict buildings in Cork City and county.

The demolition of all the remaining buildings on the site and the removal of all the remaining pipework and pumping equipment was completed in February 2023.

But, prior to planning permission being sought for further development such as new homes, it is required that the site be fully remediated, according to documents submitted to City Hall.

“The investigations and subsequent reports produced identified potential risks to human health and the environment from the contamination on site which require mitigation through remediation,” it said.

“[This] will consist of the remediation of the site, which will involve phased excavation of three areas, with off-site disposal of impacted soils and pump and treatment of groundwater.” 

The planning application received just one observation, from Inland Fisheries Ireland. It said that, should permission be granted, it would ask that planning conditions ensure there can be no contaminated discharge to waters either via percolation or the foul/storm water networks.

This week, Cork City Council granted planning permission for the remediation works. Planning document suggested the works could take up to 12 weeks.