Fota Island Resort wins planning extension

Fota Island Resort’s new owners have obtained permission to complete an overhaul for which local authority approval was first granted a decade ago.

In April 2004, Cityking International got the go-ahead for a hotel, 287 holiday homes, nine-hole golf course, and other site development works.

Following the recent purchase of the resort, Xiu Lan Properties Ltd applied to Cork County Council in January to extend the duration of that previous permission.

The same firm has applied in recent weeks to add extensions to the hotel restaurant and to the clubhouse at the existing golf course, which will host the Irish Open tournament this summer.

* The same planning authority is to decide this week on another Aldi store proposed for the southside suburb of Bishopstown.

Further information was received early last month after planners asked Aldi Stores (Ireland) Ltd to change entry and exit plans for customer cars accessing the site of the Lehane Motors/Topaz Service Station near Cork University Hospital.

Traffic issues were prominent among the concerns in over a dozen submissions made in relation to the application last September for a 1,623sq m supermarket.

* Permission has been granted for a new wine shop and café on Cork’s Academy Street.

Last July, Mark Hennessy applied to change the use of two retail units on the street, near the Opera Lane development.

Cork City Council has approved those plans after considering his response to a request for further information that sought revisions to the façade designs.

* An application has been made for a new service station on a vacant site near the main gates of University College Cork.

In its plans to the city council, Maxol Ltd proposes a new forecourt, shop, off-licence, self-service food and deli on the Western Road. The site once occupied by the Muskerry Service Station is between the River Lee Hotel and the college gates at the junction of Western Road and O’Donovan’s Road.

* Cork County Council has allowed permission for an 80-house scheme near Bandon to be extended.

In January, Riverbank Developments sought to have previous approval continued on the plans first lodged in 2008 for new two-storey and three-storey homes at Coolfadda.

* A large marina development outside Kinsale has also been given extended planning approval by Cork County Council.

It has responded favourably to last September’s application from Castlepark Marina. The 2008 plans on which the existing permission was based were for the provision of around 200 berths, by redeveloping and extending the existing facilities there.