Bid to extend permission for Cork 753-home development rejected
The turning of the sod on the HISCo investment in Ballyvolane last year. Picture: Larry Cummins
A developer’s bid to extend the planning permission for a massive 750-home development north of Cork city has been turned down by An Bord Pleanála, despite a recommendation from the planning board’s inspector that it be granted.
Longview Estates Ltd had been successful in 2020 in its application for planning permission for 753 houses and apartments across six neighbourhoods in the townland of Lahardane, Ballyvolane, about 3km north-east of Cork city centre.
It is one of the largest strategic housing developments in the State to be approved, and was initially granted seven-year planning permission.
Enabling works commenced on the project last year, with Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Finance Minister Michael McGrath turning the sod on a €9m Housing Infrastructure Services Company (HISCo) investment in roads, footpaths, and services for the site last summer.
This company supports infrastructure where delays are hindering the delivery of residential developments.
Mr Martin described it as a “hugely significant project for Cork city”.
“As one of the largest housing developments to ever commence in the history of Cork city, this project points to the building momentum we’re now seeing in the delivery of housing,” he said.
Longview Estates is headed by John Crean and backed by investment fund Temporis Capital, and is cleared for a mix of 531 houses and 222 apartments.
It made a bid earlier this year to extend the planning permission from seven years to 10, citing the significant external factors at play which have delayed the project.
“The delivery programme was significantly impacted by the construction restrictions as a result of the covid-19 pandemic,” the company said.
The company said the extension was needed due to these delays, to respond to “market conditions” and to better improve the relationship with existing homeowners north of the site.
In the report from an An Bord Pleanála inspector, it was noted that the developer argued that from the time enabling works began, there were only four years left to complete this large-scale development.
The developer said that “waiting to submit an extension-of-duration application could jeopardise the viability of the whole scheme”.
The planning inspector said they were compelled to consider the issues raised by the developer as contributing to delays on site.
“The majority of these factors, including covid and construction inflation due to the war in Ukraine, could not have been foreseen when the proposed development was originally determined in May 2020,” the inspector said.
“Given considerable progress has been made in the context of enabling works/initial infrastructure provision on site, I think it would be appropriate in this instance to include a suitably-worded condition facilitating an extension of the permission duration.”
However, An Bord Pleanála said it did not agree with its inspector that it was appropriate to consider extending the duration of the planning permission.
Citing two High Court cases, the board concluded that the extension should be sought under the legal provisions of Section 42 of the Planning and Development Act.
The planning board said this piece of law “provides both the legal power and the safeguards around extending the permission”.
While the bid to extend planning permission was outstanding, commencement notices for dozens of the planned homes have been commenced, documents show.
Temporis Capital has been contacted for comment.
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