35-unit housing plan for Cork industrial estate
Two votes were required to approve the development earmarked for the former Hormann Electronics site in the Mahon Industrial Estate in Blackrock.
The first vote, taken during Monday’s meeting of Cork City Council, was later deemed invalid over a technicality.
The housing scheme received the required support following the second vote.
The 1.02-hectare site on Besborro Rd, off Skehard Rd and close to Mahon Point Shopping Centre, is zoned for business and technology.
Murphy Transport Ltd applied for outline planning permission for a residential development on the site.
The company proposes building 11 houses — three four-bed detached units and eight three-bed semi-detached units — 12 three-bed duplex units, and 12 two-bed apartments, along with the provision of 66 parking spaces and the relocation of an ESB substation on the site.
Zoning on the site does not facilitate residential development.
In a report to councillors, the city’s head of planning, Pat Ledwidge, said he agreed with a senior executive planner’s assessment that the site is, however, considered suitable for residential development.
A council vote was required to materially contravene the development plan to allow the housing scheme proceed.
Councillors were told that 23 would have to vote in favour of the contravention, which would effectively grant planning permission for the housing project.
Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy was the only councillor to speak ahead of the vote.
He said he had a problem supporting a vote to allow the construction of a “housing estate in the middle of an industrial estate”.
“I really worry about the macro picture though — this will add to the traffic problems in the area,” he said.
A vote was called and councillors voted 21 for the material contravention, Mr McCarthy against, with Worker’s Party councillor Ted Tynan abstaining.
Councillors understood that because the vote had not reached the required 23 in favour of a material contravention, it had not been approved and the housing scheme could not progress.
Following extensive consultation between officials and some councillors, the meeting was told, almost an hour later, that the first vote had been deemed invalid.
Officials said an abstention cannot be classed as a vote, and therefore only 21 valid votes were cast — below the required 23.
A second vote was called at which point more councillors had arrived in the council chamber.
This time, 25 councillors voted for the material contravention, with two against — Mr McCarthy and Mr Tynan.
The vote effectively granted planning permission for the housing scheme.
A number of routine conditions are attached to the granting of permission.
