One of the country's largest property developers yesterday outlined a series of compromise proposals at a Bord Pleanála hearing aimed at allowing a major 600-house development proceed with a minimal reduction in house numbers.
O'Flynn Construction had applied to Cork County Council for planning permission for 629 residential units on a 63.8-hectare site at Dunkettle near Glanmire village on the northeastern outskirts of Cork city near the main Cork-Dublin road.
The proposal, which also envisaged a tourism/visitor-related commercial development at Dunkettle House, which is a protected structure on the site, was within the residential density range outlined in the 2003 Cork county development plan.
Cork County Council sought a number of meetings with O'Flynn Construction and, following these, the company amended its scheme, with the development now totalling 600 dwelling units.
On May 27th, 2005, the county council made a conditional decision to grant planning permission for some 527 houses, a reduction of 73 from O'Flynn Construction's amended proposal, with a number of conditions attached to the permission.
O'Flynn Construction appealed the conditions to An Bord Pleanála, and yesterday the company outlined a series of compromise proposals at an oral hearing which would see the company build some 591 dwelling units, a loss of just nine on its amended plan.
Dermot Gleeson SC, for O'Flynn Construction, said that the company had sought to try and explore the middle ground by meeting the concerns of the council by coming up with a scheme which accommodated those concerns without losing 73 houses.
Among the third parties in the appeal is Glounthaune Community Association. Chairman Philip Mullally said that, while the organisation would ideally prefer a development of between 400-500 rather than 500-plus houses, its main concerns were regarding design.
Mr Mullally said the association was particularly concerned that a space should be included in the development for a civic centre that would create social cohesion and help engender a sense of community.
He pointed out that in recent years a rise in anti-social behaviour was becoming much more widespread and was now affecting middle-class residential estates, and Glanmire had featured unfavourably in the recent Prime Time series on anti-social behaviour.
The oral hearing continues in Cork today.