Infrastructure Deficit in Carrigaline

Writes Leo McMahon

‘I really feel that Carrigaline has been left behind in terms of the provision of infrastructure’, said Cllr Jack White (FG) at the recent meeting of the county council’s Carrigaline Municipal District (MD) and urged that this be addressed in advance of the new County Development Plan (CDP).

His motion read: ‘That the MD elected members would acknowledge the lack of infrastructure in Carrigaline in light of the huge amount of residential development that has taken place in recent years and issue an opinion on same to the council’s Planning Policy Unit (PPU) and senior management’.

     ‘If we were to appraise the development in Carrigaline over the past three or four decades, we would have to ask if enough has been done to provide recreation and amenity, school and playing pitch spaces; waste water services, electrical, roads, footpaths and other infrastructure, compared with the amount of housing delivery that has taken place over that time’.

    Cllr White pointed out that there were continous problems with water and electricity outages on the fast expanding southern side of Carrigaline, especially Kilmoney and Kilnagleary.

There was a case to be made that no more housing should be permitted until the basic infrastructure was in place but in a housing crisis, it was badly needed. Carrigaline, however had been left behind when it came to infrastructure.

‘This issue can’t be treated on a planning permission by planning permission basis anymore or else Carrigaline will turn into a continuous sprawl of housing with no plan’, added Cllr White who urged engagement with the PPU and senior management.

In support, Cllr Una McCarthy (FG) said it was clear that as more houses were being built, the public services as outlined and especially health care, schools and outdoor recreation that already exist were already under strain. The council needed to take a pro-active approach involving all departments to ensure infrastructure kept pace with houses which were needed.  The last Census (2022) said Carrigaline had 18,239 people but it had grown since.

      Cllr Patrick Donovan (FF) concurred. Any engagement the MD could have regarding input into the CDP would be welcome and pointed that there was currently pressure on special school places and need to facilitate more GPs. ‘We don’t want a situation where housing in Carrigaline hits Cork city. We need to sit down and take a hard look as to how the town should develop.’

       Urging a stronger emphasis on infrastructure, he said there was no point building a town with hundreds of homes for people with nothing to do in the locality and having to travel out of it to access services.

An cathaoirleach Cllr Ben Dalton-O’Sullivan (Ind) also supported the motion saying he welcomed the indication by the council’s chief executive officer about opening debate on the next CDP quite soon. He also urged rural locations in the MD to be looked and making it easier for people to build on their own lands.

Cllr White asked that his motion be noted and sent to the PPU and senior management. This was agreed.

Carrigaline TPREP

Cllrs Donovan and McCarthy had motions asking for an update on Carrigaline Transportaton and Public Realm Enhancement Plan (TPREP).

A written report from senior executive engineer in the council’s Sustainable Transport Unit, Flor O’Sullivan, said an ‘in committee’ (private) meeting with councillors would be arranged for this.

Cllr Donovan said many residents and business people he spoke to had seen the lovely plan and designs but nothing was progressing. A lot of road resurfacing, footpaths and crossings were on hold because of their link to TPREP, so timelines were needed and how the MD could help.

Cllr McCarthy said her motion came from people asking ‘what’s happening?’. Phase one was published in June 2022 and looked lovely and acknowledging that these things took time, argued there was need to inform the public, so a meeting would be welcome.

Cllr White spoke in support. He acknowledged that some bits linked to TPREP such as the Bridgemount-Herons Wood greenway link and cycle/pedestrian bridge near Lidl were coming on stream but projects such as widening of Church Road footpath and resurfacing of Crosshaven Road as far as the GAA club were on hold because of it. There was need to get an update and who would be driving it following recent personnel changes in County Hall.

Senior executive officer (SEO) Maurice Murphy noted the comments and said a meeting with the TPREP team would be arranged.

Following her motion adopted by the MD in January, Cllr McCarthy requested an update at the next meeting on her proposal for a dog park for Carrigaline in part of the Community Park.

The SEO said there had been engagement with the city council which had a dog park as a pilot project in Ballincollig. What she proposed was being considered as part of the wider recreational and amenity proposals in Carrigaline that could integrate this. He undertook to get back to members when he had further information.