Plans for new vehicular access point and expanded parking facilities at a school in Cloyne, Co Cork, have been approved despite objections from a number of local residents.

The plans have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála, which is due to make a decision on whether to grant permission in 16 weeks.

The appeals board approved the apartment plan in spite of the strong recommendation by its own inspector to refuse planning.

A property development firm has obtained a High Court order blocking an objection against its plans for 60 new houses near Blarney from being considered by An Bord Pleanála.

A new energy strategy for Kerry will see whole swathes of the county earmarked for windfarms — but not in top scenic areas.

A head of steam has built up against the country’s first large “type-three” single carriageway between Dingle and Tralee in Co Kerry.

Residents fighting GAA plans they claim will split a huge public park due to be developed in Cork will voice their concerns this evening with the designers behind the multimillion-euro park project.

Nama has appointed a statutory receiver to assets belonging to Limerick-based property companies controlled by developers Joe Hanrahan and John Shee.

THE upland countryside where the counties Cork, Kerry and Limerick meet continues to be a place where rare and threatened species of wildlife can still be found.

Plans to locate the proposed national children’s hospital at the Mater site in Dublin city centre could be resurrected after management at three hospitals in the area said they were puttingtogether a fresh proposal.

An Bord Pleanála should be allowed review local authority development plans and even veto council decisions on land rezoning, the country’s planning association has said.

HSE chiefs in the South of the country may have to consider building an emergency hospital on the outskirts of Cork City, according to one of Cork University Hospital’s (CUH) leading doctors.

There will be significant reform of the planning system despite a Department of Environment review finding no criminality or corruption across seven local authorities.

The campaign to save a residential green in the western suburbs of Cork from development is going to the Supreme Court.

The finances of the Health Service Executive are to come under fresh scrutiny as it has already overspent its budget by €145m in the first quarter of 2012.

Endemic corruption, chaotic sprawl, a legacy of ghost development and widespread environmental degradation — they are just some of the phrases used by An Taisce in its review of planning during the boom years.

The Mater Hospital claims it remains the best site for the location of a national children’s hospital after it unveiled plans for a redesign of the original project which was unexpectedly rejected by An Bord Pleanála last February.

A Kerry soccer club has to switch off floodlights at its grounds at 10pm each night, An Bord Pleanála has ruled.

A disused factory site earmarked for a supermarket and a restaurant has been set ablaze for the fourth time in almost eight months.

The IFA has warned Eirgrid’s plans for a €500m power line connecting Cork, Kildare and Wexford will cause significant disturbance for many landowners and stressed the company must engage fully with people along the route to avoid protests.