Cork City Council gives green light to 135-unit housing scheme
Plans for 135 housing units in one of Cork’s fastest-growing suburbs were sanctioned last night after councillors voted to allow the project go ahead on land zoned for business and technology use.
Councillors voted 24-4 in favour of the material contravention to the city development plan, granting planning for the housing scheme on a site on the Bessboro Rd in Mahon, following assurances that the site has no connection whatsoever to the former Bessborough mother and baby home nearby.
Bessboro Warehouse Holdings Ltd now have permission to build 135 residential units on the site in the Mahon Industrial Estate to include 24 houses, 64 duplex apartments, a three-storey apartment block comprising 20 apartments, and a four- storey apartment block comprising 27 apartments, as well as a creche.
The site known locally as the former Ridge Tools site is adjoined by the RCI/Abtran premises to the north, known as the former Motorola site, and to the east by a vacant site in use in recent years as a sport pitch.
The former Bessborough farm and convent is located across a road to the south.
There are 38 conditions attached to the grant of planning. The project will deliver 13 social housing units.
Several mother and baby home campaigners were in the public gallery in City Hall last night for the debate as Solidarity councillor Fiona Ryan and Worker’s Party councillor Ted Tynan raised concerns about the project.
Ms Ryan called for the vote to be put back to facilitate engagement with the victims of “deep institutional abuse” who she said feel they have been ignored by the State.
Mr Tynan said that while he does not like the idea of opposing a housing project, he had to oppose this scheme and called for the site to be treated as “a crime scene” given its proximity to the former mother and baby home.
However, Fianna Fáil councillor Terry Shannon, who voted against the housing project on planning grounds, rounded on councillors who tried to link it to the Bessborough mother and baby home issue, accusing them of “spoofing”.
I am a Bessborough baby,” said Mr Shannon. “I have a personal affiliation to the site and I find it unreasonable and unacceptable that people should bring that debate into what is a housing debate and planning issue. It has nothing to do with victims and graves — nothing.
Sinn Féin councillor Chris O’Leary also pointed out that there has been industry on the proposed development site since the 1960s.
And his party colleague Shane O’Shea accused some councillors of opposing the scheme for electoral benefit.
“My email inbox is full, my phone is hopping every day, and it’s all housing, housing, housing,” said Mr O’Shea. “We are in the midst of one of the worst housing crisis in the history of the State and this is a solution to it.”
