A major Strategic Housing Development (SHD) for Main Street has been sent to An Bórd Pleanála for planning permission, in what could be a transformative proposal for the future of Carrigaline.
The proposed development, submitted by various consultants on behalf of Reside Investments Ltd., consists of the construction of 224 residential units, comprised of 202 apartments split between two apartment blocks ranging from 6 to 7 storeys, and 22 townhouses/duplex units.
The application also includes an intention to build a 184m2 creche facility, a local play area, a local kick about area, an activity trail/greenway along the Owenabue River, an amphitheatre, civic space and two courtyard areas. The housing mix is as follows; 101 one-beds, 111 two-beds and 12 three-beds. 23 units will be made available for social housing as part of Part V requirements.
The majority of proposed development would be located adjacent to the Carrigaline Co-op Superstore, with access also coming from Main Street. The application includes plans for a neighbourhood gym, two small retail units located at ground floor level and one large 3000sqm retail unit also to be located on the ground floor. There is also provision for 255 car parking spaces and 503 bicycle spaces within the site. 140 spaces will be provided for private residential use, with 115 made available for retail purposes.
According to documents accompanying the application, the construction of the proposed scheme is expected to begin in Q1 2023 and aims to be completed by Q3 2024. For this timeline to be met and for all objectives to be reached, one report notes the importance of collaboration between both the public and private sector.
The application comes at an important time considering the scarcity of housing availability in the Carrigaline area, as highlighted previously by The Carrigdhoun Newspaper. However, this particular development is considerably different to that of other recent residential schemes, which have focused on providing development on the outer edges of Carrigaline. Instead, this housing plan presents the single biggest proposal for town centre residential living that the area has arguably ever witnessed.
The development also aims to coincide with the opening of the Inner Western Relief Road (IWRR), as access from Main Street will be prioritised for pedestrians and cyclists. Moreover, the axis design of the proposal seems to seek to enhance the permeability of the area, creating better connections between people and places.
Concerns may be raised however over the demand that may be placed on the IWRR, considering that Aldi have now been granted planning permission and shall be using the road for vehicular access. However, the residential scheme proposal intends to supply less parking for the site than is required under the minimum standards as highlighted in the 2014 Cork County Development Plan. As such, if this application is to be approved by An Bord Pleanála, a Material Contravention will be required. This is not limited to just parking standards, as the SHD also contravenes the plan with regards to building height. On both counts, consultants on behalf of the applicant argue that there is justification for Material Contravention. Moreover, in a Statement of Consistency, the agents indicate that the proposed scheme is adherent to local, regional and national policy.
The Social Infrastructure Audit in conclusion states that the “proposed 224 residential units included in the development, create a vibrancy and demand to populate non-residential units on ground floor and podium level. The proposed functions support modern, convenient accessible living, but they do also have the potential to anchor the scheme in its setting. The proposed amenity space can play a special role to create a unique distinctiveness of the place and engage with existing cultural, recreational, and leisure facilities such as the Carrigaline/Crosshaven amenity walk.”
The application in addition to the various reports mentioned above is also accompanied by several other documents including a Retail Impact Assessment, Road Safety Audit, Housing Quality Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment Report and many others.
Members of the public have five weeks to make observations to An Bord Pleanála over the application, with submissions valid until July 7th at a cost of €20. All details about the proposed development are available via kilmoneyshd.ie. An Bord Pleanála have indicated that a decision on the case is due by September 22nd.
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