Flood plain threat derails development
IT could have been the location of a hotel, shops and a swimming pool.
Cork County Council and an inspector from An Bord Pleanala were happy for the development to go ahead in Glamire village, five miles from Cork city.
But yesterday it emerged the move has been stopped by the top planning authority -- because it is on a flood plain.
It is a perfect example of how planning officials disagree on how best to deal with the threat of flooding and comes despite Environment Minister John Gormley's new national guidelines on the management of flood risk.
Both the board's inspector, as well as Cork County Council whose own high-rise offices were last week flooded by the River Lee, had approved the commercial aspects of the project which is close to the banks of the River Glashaboy.
Even the board's inspector acknowledged in his report that the Office of Public Works' flood hazard mapping service "had recorded a flood event at the western end of the site at Riverstown Bridge as recurring".
Nevertheless, inspector Hugh Mannion considered that the developer, Padlake Ltd, had "adequately assessed the flood risk for the site and through building design has mitigated that risk".
Developer Joe O'Donovan, who owns Padlake, envisaged building almost 299,000sq ft of accommodation in three blocks, and retail, leisure and educational facilities.
However, a meeting of Bord Pleanala board members on November 11, which pre-dated the recent peak flooding disasters, decided to refuse permission for the whole project.
The reasons included the location of part of the site on a flood plain and the "development of a school at this part of the site would contravene the provisions of the (county) development plan and would be contrary to the draft national guidelines on the management of flood risk which advises the avoidance of such development in areas at risk of flooding".
Eanna O'Bradaigh, cathaoirleach of Gaelscoil Ui Drisceoil, expressed disappointment at the decision which will mean it will have to continue operating from the rugby club it is currently renting.
"I can't understand why Bord Pleanala did not accept its own inspector's report," he said.
- Donal Buckley
Irish Independent
