Planning notes: Permission granted for Castleknock scheme

Permission has been granted for a scheme of over 200 new homes near Castleknock in Dublin 15.

After initially appealing conditions relating to local authority approval for the development, Cherryfield Courts Ltd withdrew its appeal earlier this month.

The decision of Fingal County Council to approve the 224-unit project now stands, giving permission for work on the now-amended first phase of a larger scheme of almost 440 units which was granted planning clearance in 2010.

The works on a site of 23 acres — part of the larger overall site of almost 40 acres just west of the M50 at Diswellstown — were the subject of an application to the Fingal council in early June.

The applicants appealed in August relating to two of the 40 conditions attached to the subsequent permission, which were on the subject of finishes to the homes and working hours.

The use of former hotel accommodation for student apartments near University College Cork is the subject of a recent retention application.

Cork City Council has been asked by Variety Holdings Ltd to permit the retention of change of use of part of the Brookfield Hotel and Leisure Centre complex to three student accommodation apartments.

The centre on College Road is near the main campus of UCC and adjoins the university’s Brookfield medical education facilities. A decision on the application is due shortly before Christmas.

The same local authority has received an application for some amendments to the Jacobs Island residential development near Mahon.

The scheme near the Lee estuary, just off Cork’s South Ring Road near the Jack Lynch Tunnel’s southern entrance, was first approved on foot of a 2000 application.

In its proposal submitted to Cork City Council this month, McCarthy Developments is seeking permission to replace eight permitted three-storey terraced houses with six semi-detached and one detached two-storey homes.

A small housing development in the nearby Cork suburb of Blackrock has just been granted planning permission.

Dan O’Brien has been granted the approval, after applying to Cork City Council in July, for the development at Rope Walk in Blackrock. The permission is subject to 14 conditions, in respect of the plans to demolish an existing derelict building and to build eight two-storey semi-detached houses.

Cork County Council has been asked to approve the extension of a coffee shop and bakery on the main street of Carrigaline.

Michael Hassett applied earlier this month for the restoration and extension of Hassett’s bakery. The proposal includes changing use of the adjoining Discount World store from retail to restaurant use.

The application also includes plans to partially demolish the rear of Discount World, external seating areas to the front and rear, and changes to the front elevation to the main street.

The application states that the intention is to create one inter-connecting unit of restaurant, shop and outdoor seating areas.

The provision of increased staff facilities at the Fota Wildlife Park in Cork harbour is the subject of a recent planning application.

The plans submitted to Cork County Council are for a single-storey building to accommodate staff canteen, changing rooms, toilet and wash facilities, and a staff office. The proposal from Fota Wildlife Park Ltd was lodged a fortnight ago for the visitor attraction at Fota Island, near Carrigtwohill in east Cork.

There have been mixed results for a local community group’s applications for commemorative statues in a tourism area of West Cork.

Goleen & District Community Council has been turned down in its plans to erect two memorial busts of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.

The application had been submitted for an address at Arderrawinny, Lowertown, Schull last June but Cork County Council refused permission two weeks ago.

There was better luck, however, for the same applicant’s proposal of last May for a sculpture of Guglielmo Marconi to be erected at Ballynaule, Crookhaven.

It is the small village near Mizen Head where Marconi, the Italian wireless telegraphy pioneer, carried out much of his work, having established a telegraphic station there in the early 1900s.