24/5268
Permission for (1) construction of an expansion to the existing production and warehouse building to provide an additional 12,207 sqm floor space over 4 no. levels to a maximum height of 28.21 m. (2) Construction of 2 no. new dock levellersstations together with adjustments to internal roads. (3) Provision of new site vehicle entrance from the L7088-2 public road. (4) Construction of 3 no. areas of permanent contractor’s compound at the south west yard to accommodate; up to 16 no. 20ft cabins (aggregate floor area 283sqm and max height 2.7m); 15 no. 40ft workshop cabins (aggregate floor area 531 sqm and max. height of 2.7m); temporary provision of 2 no. contractors welfare facilities (aggregate floor area 34.1 sqm and max. height of 2.7m) and a contractor's communications room (floor area of 17.7m2 and max. height of 2.7m). (5) Construction of a communications building (floor area 22.8m2 and max height of 3.42m). (6) Provision of a temporary construction compound to accommodate a modular porta-cabin offices (floor area of 40.1sqm and max. height of 2.7m and a laydown area. (7) Relocation of 54 no. car parking spaces and hard standing HGV trailer park to south west yard from the existing food flavours building to include a communications building (floor area 22.8m2 and max. height of 3.42m). (8) Construction of new surface water attenuation tank and fire water attenuation tank with associated drainage connections under the L7088-0 local public road. (9) Upgrade and repositioning of the existing south west yard vehicle entrance to the L7088-0 public road and provision of new pedestrian road crossing on the L7088-0 public road with upgrades to the public footpath. (10) Provision of site fencing to include internal 2.4m louvered screen wall at the southwest yard (11) all associated site development works, internal access roads, landscaping and underground services provisions. A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared and will be submitted to the Planning Authority with the application.
Core Planning Reasoning
The proposed development is refused due to its excessive scale, mass, and visual impact, which would result in an inadequate transition to adjoining residential properties in an environmentally sensitive zone, contravening specific objectives of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028 regarding the protection of residential amenity.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposed building, with a height of 28.2m, would create an overbearing and monolithic presence that significantly degrades the visual amenity and character of the adjacent residential area at Clash Road.
- The development fails to adhere to the transitional land use principles established in the Cork County Development Plan, particularly the requirement to avoid abrupt changes in scale at the boundaries of industrial and residential zones.
- Despite the site's designation as a Strategic Employment Location, the qualitative negative impacts on residential amenity, including the loss of evening sunlight and visual imposition, outweigh the industrial development objectives at this specific interface.