Inspector’s Report ABP-305398-19 Development Construction of 55 no. houses and all ancillary site development works. Change of plan from that permitted under 17/5699 and amended by 18/6312. Location Lackenroe and Ballynaroon, Glounthaune, Co. Cork Planning Authority Cork County Council Planning Authority Reg. Ref. 19/5659 Applicant(s) Bluescape Limited Type of Application Permission Planning Authority Decision Grant permission Type of Appeal Third Party V. Grant. Appellant(s) Brock and Clare Cliffe Lewin Carol Harpur Claire and Patrick Casey Observer(s) Rachel Barrett ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 28 Date of Site Inspection 28th November 2019 Inspector Elaine Power ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 28 1.0 Site Location and Description 1.1. The appeal site is located approx. 500m north of the village of Glounthaune and approx. 10km east of Cork City. The Glounthaune train station is located approx. 1.5km south east of the site. The site is generally bound by to the north, south and west by detached dwellings. To the east the site is bound by agricultural fields, which are also within the ownership of the applicant. 1.2. The site is in an elevated position. It rises from west to the east and also slopes towards the south. The elevated nature of the site provides impressive views to the south towards Lough Mahon and Harpers Island. The site currently comprises agricultural fields. It is irregular in shape and has a stated site area of 3.93ha. The site has a frontage of approx. 43m onto Knockraha Road, to the west of the site and a frontage of approx. 10m onto Killahora Road, to the north of the site. 1.3. There is a low-density housing estate ‘Cois Chuain’, which comprises of a range of large detached two storey houses, located directly opposite the proposed new vehicular entrance to the site (on the opposite side of the Knockraha Road). There is a protected structure, Anne Mount House (RPS 00499), located to the south of the appeal site. 2.0 Proposed Development 2.1. The proposed development represents an increase in 17 no. units from a development previously permitted under ABP-300128-17 and amended under 18/6312 for the construction of 38 no. dwellings and all associated works including the upgrade of Knockraha Road and a new signalised junction with Cois Chuain residential estate. 2.2. It is proposed to construct 55 no. dwellings comprising 17no. 4-bed dwellings, 22 no. 3-bed dwellings and 16. no 2-bed dwellings. The units comprise 5 no. detached houses, ranging in size from 150sqm to 173sqm, 26 no. semi-detached houses, ranging in size from 116sqm to 140sqm and 14 no. townhouses ranging in size from 84 sqm to 104 sqm. The design of the scheme is a contemporary approach to a traditional style. The external finishes include painted render with sections natural ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 28 stone on the front elevation. Each detached and semi-detached house has a driveway, with off street car parking for 2 no. cars and areas of communal car parking are provided to the front of the townhouses / terraced houses. 2.3. The houses are designed around a green area, with a similar layout to that previously approved. The green area is divided by the internal access road. The northern section of the green space accommodates a local play area and the southern section of the green space accommodates a neighbourhood play area. 2.4. Vehicular access to the site is proposed from a new signalised junction with Knockraha Road and the existing Cois Chuain housing estate. An additional pedestrian and cycle access is proposed from the north of the site onto Killahora Road. The internal access road is a minimum of 5.5m in width with a 1.8m wide footpath and provides for future access to the lands to the east of the site which are also within the applicant’s ownership. 2.5. A connection would be made to the public sewer and public water main. 2.6. An Architectural Design Statement, An Infrastructure Report and Part V proposal were included within the application. 2.7. Unsolicited Further Information lodged 5th July 2019 and 29th July 2019 The applicant notified the Planning Authority on both occasions that the site notice along Killahora Road to the north of the site had been removed. The applicant replaced the notices and provided photographs. 3.0 Planning Authority Decision 3.1. Decision Permission was granted subject to 51 no. conditions. The relevant conditions area noted below: - Condition 2: reduced the height of dwellings 46 to 55 to a maximum of 5.5m to ensure no attic level accommodation could be provided. ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 28 Condition 3: altered the layout of house numbers 1 and 45 to improve passive supervision and reduce the extent of the access road. Condition 4: required that the rear boundaries of the houses be concrete walls with a maximum height of 1.8m, except were existing hedgerows and trees are to be retained, in this instance green coated fencing shall be provided. Condition 5: required a special contribution relating to traffic calming measures and upgrading of the storm water sewer. Condition 7: required a supplementary contribution in respect of the Cobh / Middleton – Blarney Rail Project. Condition 11: related to levelling and landscaping of the public areas of open space. Condition 38: required that details of the retaining structures be agreed with the Planning Authority. Condition 42: required a bat survey to be carried out prior to the felling of any trees on site. 3.2. Planning Authority Reports 3.2.1. Planning Reports The Senior Executive Planners report raised no concerns regarding the proposed development and recommended that permission be granted subject to conditions. 3.2.2. Other Technical Reports Area Engineers report: No objection subject to conditions Estates report: No objection subject to conditions Environment report: No objection subject to conditions Water Services report: No objection subject to conditions Public Lighting report: recommended further information be sought regarding details of proposed public lighting. Traffic and Transport Report: No objection subject to conditions ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 28 3.3. Prescribed Bodies Irish Water: No objection Inland Fisheries Ireland: No objection subject to agreement from Irish Water. 3.4. Third Party Observations 14 no. third party submissions were received. The concerns raised were similar to those in the appeals. 4.0 Planning History Appeal Site ABP- 300128-17, Reg. Ref. 17/5699: Permission was granted in 2018 for the construction of 31 no. dwellings. Reg. Ref. 18/6312: Permission was granted in 2018 for the construction of 7 no. detached single storey dwellings located to the west of 31 no. houses granted under ABP-300128-17 (reg. ref. 17/5699). Surrounding Sites ABP -301197-18 - Strategic Housing Development Application. Permission was granted in 2018 for the construction of 174 no. residential units located approx. 1.8km south east of the appeal site. ABP- 304468-19 – Strategic Housing Development Consultation for the construction of 150 no. houses and 151 no apartments on a site located to the east of the appeal site and within the applicant’s ownership. Decision – requires further consideration / amendment. ABP- 303912-19: Construction of 70 no. dwellings on a site located approx. 250m west of the appeal site. No decision to date. Reg. Ref. 18/6684: Permission was refused for the construction of 40 no. dwellings on a site located approx. 700m west of the appeal site. The reasons for refusal ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 6 of 28 related to (1) premature development, pending the provision of a pedestrian and cycle link to the village and (2) the lack of a creche facility on site, when taken in combination with the adjoining site within the applicant’s ownership. ABP300025-17 Strategic Housing Development Consultation for the construction of 159 no. residential units (156 no. houses and 3 no. apartments) on a site located to the east of the appeal site and within the applicant’s ownership. Decision – requires further consideration / amendment. 5.0 Policy Context 5.1. Cobh Municipal District Local Area Plan, 2017 The appeal site is located within the settlement boundary for Glounthaune, which is designated as a Key Village in the plan. The vision for Glounthaune to 2023 is to secure a significant increase in the population of the settlement (balancing the maximisation of the sustainable transport benefit offered by the railway station, with development appropriate to the character, setting and scale of the village), to retain and improve local services and facilities and to strengthen infrastructure provision. Objective DB-01 allows for the provision of an additional 400 no. residential units. Section 4.5.8 notes that any new individual housing schemes should not normally exceed 40 units. 5.2. Cork County Development Plan, 2014 The relevant policies of the Cork County Development Plan are set out below. • CS 3-2: Network of Settlements: Lower Order Settlements • HOU 3-1: Sustainable Residential Communities • HOU 3-2: Urban Design • HOU 3-3: Housing Mix • HOU 4-1: Housing Density on Zoned Lands • SC5-2: Quality Provision of Public Open Space • SC 5-8: Private Open Space Provision ABP-305398-19 Inspector’s Report Page 7 of 28 • GI 3-1: Green Infrastructure – New Developments • ZU 2-1: Development and Land Use Zoning • ZU 3-2: Appropriate Uses in Residential Areas Cork County Councils Recreation and Amenity Policy Document is also relevant.