Latest news with #CorkCountyCouncil
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Plans for major solar farm in Cork turned down over archaeological concerns
Plans for a huge solar farm spread across six separate landbanks in the scenic Lee Valley in Cork have been shot down. Cork County Council refused planning for the Aglish Solar Farm Limited project citing archaeological concerns. The 100MW solar farm would have generated enough electricity to power almost 49,000 homes. But planners said the applicant had not demonstrated that enough archaeological investigations had been undertaken to preserve in-situ potential archaeological features and to safeguard archaeological heritage. The proposed development would contravene two specific objectives of the County Development Plan linked to archaeological features, it said, and would seriously injure the amenities of property in the vicinity, and would set an undesirable precedent if granted permission. 'The proposed development is therefore contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,' they said. The company lodged its planning application with the council late last year, seeking a 10-year permission for a solar farm, on six separate parcels of land totalling some 161 hectares, spread across several rural townlands south of Coachford, the River Lee and the Inniscarra Reservoir, and south east of Carrigadrohid. It was proposed to have an operational lifespan of up to 40 years. It attracted more than 200 submissions from third parties, including dozens of local residents, two residents' groups — the Farran Community Association and the Lee Valley Action Group — and from a 14-year-old boy living in the area, who wrote: 'We learn about alternative energy sources in school, but covering prime grassland is not a solution.' Most submissions cited concerns about the scale of the project, the lack of local consultation, and the visual impact in what is designated as a 'high value landscape' in the Cork County Development Plan. The Lee Valley Action Group acknowledged the need for renewable energy generation but said the project would 'fundamentally alter the character of this rural area and undermine the carrying out of agricultural and other rural-based enterprise'. 'In the absence of any national policy guidance on the development of solar farms, the location of choice for solar developments across the country is overwhelmingly focused almost exclusively on valuable greenfield farmland,' they said. 'This has led to solar energy promoters racing to identify ad hoc sites within the open countryside, which are then assessed in a general policy vacuum on an individual basis. 'Such an approach is not supported either in other EU states or the UK, where the use of commercial, brownfield and poor land is advised, and the use of good agricultural land is only allowed in exceptional circumstances." The council sought further information on several issues, including archaeology, and the applicant's planning consultants said they would complete archaeological geophysical surveys and testing if planning was granted. They said an 'appropriately worded planning condition' would alleviate any archaeological concerns on the site, while facilitating 'a positive and timely decision'. They said the "priority status" afforded to solar farm projects, in terms of fast permitting, overrides public interest when dealing with competing environmental interests, and they pointed to a 'pronounced shortage' of geophysical survey resourcing and capacity in Ireland, which can delay projects. They also cited various Government policy objectives which they said necessitated the fast deployment of renewable energy projects. The council decision can be appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
The Cork highway that's so bad even the county's roads boss has called it ‘substandard & unsafe'
A motion by Councillors Anthony Barry and Rory Cocking at this week's meeting of the local authority's Southern Division called for urgent funding for increased safety and traffic management measures on the section of the N25 between Midleton and Carrigtwohill. Cllr Cocking said the section near Carrigtwohill is 'absolutely lethal' with trucks merging on to the road from a nearby quarry. 'And when these trucks are coming onto the road, it's forcing cars into the fast lane and the speed is horrendous there at the moment.' The East Cork councillor said that with thousands of housing units proposed between Midleton and Carrigtwohill, 'this is only going to get worse. I believe the road is at capacity at the moment and a serious upgrade is required. Unfortunately, we've seen a lot of accidents in recent times. Some of them have had fatalities, unfortunately.' Cllr Barry said that that section of the N25 has had 'fundamentally no improvement works since the day it was opened in 1968. It is a crazy situation from a health and safety level.' 'It poses serious questions for further development in East Cork. And we're talking about putting another 4,000 to 5,000 residential units down there. I think it throws into question any further development that can be put in place on the [rail] corridor until that basic infrastructure is put in place.' Responding to the motion, Padraig Barrett, Director of Services in the council's Roads and Transportation section, said national funding for the Carrigtwohill to Midleton upgrade was suspended in 2022 and hasn't been restored since despite the best efforts of the council. 'From my own point of view, I would consider it one of my greatest disappointments in my role as Director of Services for roads in Cork County. It's a road that's carrying 36,000 vehicles a day, it's an absolutely essential project. It's a substandard, unsafe road.' Mr Barrett said the council is hopeful that the revised National Development Plan announced this week with its €28bn budget for transport will provide funding for the upgrade. The Cathaoirleach of the Southern Division, Cllr Ann Marie Ahern, called on central government to address the lack of funding for the N25 upgrade as a priority. 'I don't think we as a council can accept it going forward. This isn't a reflection of Cork County Council at all, this is actually a reflection of a Taoiseach, who's from Cork, who isn't acting for Cork, and particularly East Cork. And the ministers that are sitting up there, we haven't seen anything in ten years down in East Cork for the N25,' she said.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
'Not fit for purpose': Cork's N25 slammed as unsafe with 5,000 homes now at risk
The head of Cork County Council's roads directorate has said it's one of his 'greatest disappointments' that the government has repeatedly refused to provide proper finance to upgrade the "unsafe" N25 between Carrigtwohill and Midleton. The situation has become so bad that the substandard state of the road could potentially stall the proposed creation of 5,000 new homes in the area. Mayor of County Cork Mary Linehan-Foley has vowed to use her office to seek an urgent meeting on the matter with minister for transport Darragh O'Brien. The road upgrade has been stalled since 2022 when then minister Eamon Ryan pulled funding for it. Padraig Barrett, head of the council's roads directorate, addressed the issue at a council meeting after a number of councillors warned the road has become dangerous and gridlocked. Mr Barrett said the council had only been allocated €45,000 for some minor safety works along it 'which wouldn't even cut the hedges for you". He said that it is a major priority for the council to get it significantly upgraded as "it's absolutely essential" to the safe travelling of thousands of motorists every day. Cork County Council was told that traffic conditions on the road in the past four years 'has changed dramatically'. File picture: Dan Linehan Mr Barrett said traffic conditions on the road in the past four years 'has changed dramatically'. It will likely be next year when the council finds out if any money will be forthcoming from the under the National Development Plan to upgrade the road. A joint motion from Fine Gael councillors Anthony Barry and Rory Cocking called on council management to liaise directly with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Department of Transport on the issue. 'There has been a lot of accidents on the road recently and unfortunately some of them have been fatal,' Mr Cocking said. Mr Barry said there have been no meaningful improvements on the road since 1968. Up to 5,000 new houses proposed for the area could be put in jeopardy due to the absence of sustainable travel and development plans. Councillors are hopeful the IDA along with TII and Irish Rail would put pressure on government for proper investment in the N25, as one of the busiest roads in the country. Mr Barry said: We all know it's not fit for purpose. It's crazy from a health and safety perspective. The council's southern division chairperson, councillor Ann Marie Ahern, said the council must insist that minister O'Brien comes down to Cork to see it for himself. Ms Ahern and Independent councillor John Buckley said the Lakewiew Roundabout on the N25 at Midleton is now gridlocked to such an extent that at peak times it can take up to 30 minutes to get on or off the main road. Mr Cocking suggested that the only way to resolve that is to build a flyover connecting Midleton and the Whitegate road. 'We need to get a solution to this before the schools start or all hell will break loose,' Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Mulcahy said.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Examiner
Abandoned boats causing damage to scenic West Cork pier, says councillor
A number of boats that have been abandoned at a scenic West Cork pier are causing structural damage as well as spoiling the area's natural beauty, according to a local councillor. The issue was raised at the recent meeting of Cork County Council's Western Division by Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin. Ms Cronin said: 'Roaringwater Pier in Aughadown near Skibbereen is a beautiful area. It's a working pier and a popular spot for locals to swim at high tide but there are six abandoned boats sitting around that really spoil the area and they are in the way.' She added: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.' Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. She said: 'You can only see it at low tide from the seabed. The hole was made worse when a big stone was dislodged.' Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. Photo: Caroline Cronin Ms Cronin said that other boats are 'just sitting on boat trailers blocking access and have been there for years. "Can we please ask the owners to remove these boats giving them a specific timeline to have them removed? This place is very special and far too nice to be turned into a dumping ground for old vessels.' Independent Ireland's Danny Collins said that a similar situation had arisen in Schull and warning signs were posted up around the harbour pier which had a positive effect and most of the boats were removed. Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin said: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.' Photo: Caroline Cronin Divisional manager Michael Lynch said he came from a coastal community himself and it was incumbent on boat owners to take responsibility for their property. He said: 'There is a bigger picture here and maybe people should not be dumping boats in the first place. People need to take responsibility for their own property.' Mr Lynch added that the council would look into the matter to see what could be done. This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Read More Skibbereen to host new West Cork Food Festival
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Call for empty buildings in Cork to be used for arts and business purposes to tackle dereliction
Empty buildings across West Cork should be put to use for arts, small business and community purposes in an effort to combat dereliction according to Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse. Ms Towse raised the issue in a motion proposed to the recent meeting of Cork County Council's Western Division that asked: 'That the Western Division of Cork County Council would develop a strategy to encourage and facilitate 'meanwhile-use' of vacant and derelict buildings in West Cork.' The motion was seconded by her party colleague Ann Bambury. Meanwhile use is the temporary use of empty buildings for various purposes while they await longer-term development or occupancy, said Ms Towse, and examples of uses include pop-up shops, street markets and exhibition spaces. Ms Towse said: 'I am appealing to the council to do everything within its power to facilitate and indeed encourage meanwhile use, in both public and private buildings where possible. The commercial vacancy rate in Cork county is 12.4%, much higher than our European counterparts. 'This has a negative impact on a town's economy and the health and wellbeing of the community. Meanwhile, artists are crying out for spaces to create and put on cultural activities; organisations and community groups need places to meet; and micro businesses would benefit from affordable retail spaces. "All of this would boost economic development and innovation, attract tourism, and improve the liveability of towns, and importantly, tackle problematic vacancy and dereliction.' Ms Towse said a good example was the case of the Clonakilty Community Arts Centre, which is facing eviction from its current location as the building was due to be sold. She said a short distance away, the former Clonakilty Fire Station building was currently unoccupied. She added: 'Overall I think we need to develop a model for meanwhile use that would respond to the unique needs of towns and villages in West Cork. We must remember that the most sustainable building is an existing one.' Keith Jones, director of asset management and land development at Cork County Council, said the council was committed to engaging with the owners of vacant and derelict buildings to bring them back into productive use for the social and economic benefit of communities. Divisional manger Michael Lynch said the new formed directorate of asset management and land development was conducting a strategic review of derelict and unoccupied buildings with the aim of developing a strategy to tackle dereliction, and meanwhile use would be part of the overall plan. This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
