Glanmire residents lose planning row with soccer club over new floodlights 

An Bord Pleanála said it considered the proposed new floodlights themselves, subject to compliance with a number of planning conditions, would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Residents of a housing estate on the outskirts of Cork City have lost a planning row with a local soccer club over the proposed erection of floodlights, which they claimed would create additional noise, nuisance and traffic problems.

An Bord Pleanála has upheld the decision of Cork City Council to grant planning permission to Riverstown Football Club to erect six new 15m-high floodlights on their grounds in Glanmire, Co Cork.

The local authority’s ruling had been appealed by a group of 20 households from Forest Park, Brooklodge, Glanmire, Co Cork — a housing estate adjacent to the club’s grounds.

However, the board also upheld a related decision by the council to reject an application by Riverstown FC to have an existing restriction lifted on the use of the floodlights which limited their hours of operation from 9am to 9pm.

The club had sought permission to extend the operating hours of the floodlights from 9am to 10.30pm seven days a week.

An Bord Pleanála ruled the proposed extension of the operating hours from the current limits would result in the generation of additional noise and disturbance which would seriously injure the residential amenity of neighbouring homes.

However, the board said it considered the proposed new floodlights themselves, subject to compliance with a number of planning conditions, would not seriously injure the visual or residential amenities of the area.

The board said it had taken into account the established recreation use of the 3.75-hectre site and the separation distances of the floodlights from existing residences in the vicinity in reaching its decision.

It also noted the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 seeks to protect and enhance existing sports facilities in the city.

The Forest Park residents pointed out they did not appeal the original grant for the development of playing pitches by the Glanmire Area Community Association about 20 years ago, despite having many reservations, as they did not wish “to prevent a well-managed and well-controlled community development”. 

In a submission on behalf of the residents of Forest Park, Margaret McCann said they felt conditions imposed with the original grant of planning permission would provide the necessary safeguards to protect the residential amenities of their housing estate.

The group said they trusted the developer and operators of the facility would “act as good neighbours” by respecting their concerns and fully complying with all planning conditions.

Failing that, Ms McCann said there was an expectation the council would, if necessary, require planning conditions to be complied with.

However, she expressed concern that the planning history of the site had eroded the residential amenity of Forest Park in a “relentless piecemeal fashion”. The group said the proposed development would also create a traffic hazard in an area where existing traffic calming measures were inadequate.

The Forest Park residents also maintain they are at a loss to understand why the club is still seeking planning permission for floodlights given media reports that Riverstown FC has plans to establish a permanent home a short distance away on part of a site once earmarked for a €10m FAI Centre of Excellence at Brooklodge in Cork.

However, the club said its proposal addressed a previous refusal to allow lighting on the site by providing additional information on the design of the lighting.

It claimed the floodlights would also improve passive surveillance in the area and help combat anti-social behaviour.

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Riverstown FC, which describes itself as one of Cork’s fastest-growing soccer clubs, argued the council’s refusal of extended operating hours for the floodlights meant the intensification of use and generation of additional noise would not occur.

A planning inspector with An Bord Pleanála disagreed with the view of the residents that the floodlights could also impact on the nearby M8 motorway and claimed there was “little or no potential” for any impact for a number of reasons, including a separation distance of 90m.