Cork Luas: Schools and sports clubs face compulsory purchase orders as preferred route revealed
A computer-generated image of the proposed light rail for Cork City. File picture
The preferred route for the Cork Luas confirms that several schools, sports clubs, and private residences will face compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), the has learned.
The revised route, prepared by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and published on Friday, contains a number of differences from the emerging preferred route (EPR) published in April last year, with the most significant changes occurring in Bishopstown.
On Thursday morning, residents were hand-delivered copies of the preferred route, which has been seen by this newspaper.
The project is a light rail line that will create a new public transport connection from Ballincollig to Mahon.
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In the EPR, the €1bn-plus light railway would have run eastward from Curraheen Road onto Bishopstown Road, travelling beside the front of Cork University Hospital (CUH), turning left and northward at the Wilton roundabout.
Under the preferred route, the light rail turns left off of Melbourn Rd, Bishopstown Community School, Ballinaspig Lawn, Bishopstown GAA Club, Highfield Rugby Club, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, and St Columba’s Convent.
It will turn down into CUH, between the acute mental health unit and the dental school and hospital, along the back of the eastern side of Wilton Ave, emerging at the front of CUH, before heading for the Wilton roundabout.
Members of both Bishopstown GAA Club and Highfield have said they are extremely worried that their grounds will be impacted by the light rail route, but neither club put forward spokespeople.
Several Wilton Ave residents expressed concern that parts of their gardens will face CPOs.
One resident, Victor Daniels, said he felt the entire project would cause massive disruption in the neighbourhood, regardless of whether CPOs are issued.
"We also have a big problem in that we cannot get subsidence insurance here, so can somebody guarantee me that my house is not going to crack in half with all the work?"
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said he was concerned that a significant portion of his back would face a CPO, but he admitted he was conflicted, as he was in favour of the light rail.
"If it's done right, this will be something that will improve the city for generations to come. I just wish it wasn't going to be cutting through my garden," he said.
The preferred route shows a 2km extension to the west of the route in Ballincollig.
On the eastern side of the route, in Ballintemple, publican Con Dennehy said TII had confirmed to him that the preferred route will go through his pub, The Venue.
“It’s our worst fears come true,” Mr Dennehy said.
Mr Dennehy and his partner, Kate Tierney, have run the popular bar, which is located on the corner of Churchyard Lane and the Blackrock Road, for more than 11 years.
“I don't know what we're going to do," Mr Dennehy said.
"We could have the threat of a CPO hanging over us for the rest of our lives, and we might never see a Luas at the end of it.”
While the 2025 National Development Plan committed to funding the Cork Luas, there has been no firm commitment on a timeline for construction, meaning it is likely to be several years before ground is broken on the Cork Luas or the first tracks laid.
Friday's publication will mark the beginning of an eight-week round of non-statutory consultations.
TII will then consider the submissions arising from those consultations before a final route design is prepared for the application of a railway order.
A railway order is a statutory planning authorisation, and it is required to build or alter major railway infrastructure, permitting construction, environmental mitigation, and compulsory land acquisition.
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