Ballyvolane Urban Expansion Area

What Are We Requesting?

Zoning Alterations

1. We are requesting that the zoning of our land bank is amended to reallocate uses to different locations that are more in keeping with the area’s topography (See Map 5 following – Page 20 of the attached Main Submission).
2. The changes will still generally provide for the same amount of lands to be allocated to the same uses within our landbank. 
3. The changes to our land holding will have no impact on Core Strategy objectives.
4. We are proposing to reduce the residential land take in our landholding and maintain employment areas & job potential.
5. Our proposed amended zoning will ensure that the land use pattern reflects the 15 minute City concept, placing uses core to serving a community (i.e. school lands, neighbourhood centre, employment lands) in a more central & accessible location to new housing and public transport routes. (See Map 6, Figure 2 and Appendix B of the attached Main Submission).  There is a demonstrable need for a new Neighbourhood Centre to serve the emerging housing areas and consents north of Lower Dublin Hill.   Much of it is outside the 15 minute catchment of Ballyvolane DC.  The Irish Water Drainage Area Plan for the area serves 3200 units.  There are currently 1400-1500 units consented or in planning and all of these units are generally located outside the 15 minute walking catchment of Ballyvolane District Centre (which serves a much wider remit).  Retail Impact Assessments submitted previously for the permitted Ballyvolane District Centre (Cork City Council Refs 07/32606 & 13/35651) demonstrate massive expenditure leakage which, even at 2013 projections would be more than sufficient to support a Neighbourhood Centre even in the absence of all the new development.
6. In summary the changes that we are seeking allow for;

Residential Lands                      (-1.1 Ha )

Business and Employment    (-0.22 Ha) – offset by the employment generated by a Primary Care Centre and Neighbourhood Centre which will generate higher employee density per sq. m.

Neighbourhood Centre          (+2.6 Ha or -0.2Ha. if offset against reduction in Retail Space in Ballyvolane District Centre); not all this area is deliverable due to 110 kv Power line corridors to the west and soft ground / watercourses to the east.

School Lands                               (- 1.0 Ha); subject to detail boundary work can be changed to have a zero change – i.e. swop like for like (See Map 5 following)

Public Open Space                    (-2 Ha) Offset by Improved and extended “Greenway” connectivity and more usable open space as opposed to lands on sloping ground.  Also offset by an additional +2.6 Ha of Open Space in the Glen Valley, adjacent to the Fox and Hounds and +108 Ha in new park lands adjacent to the Barn Restaurant and Lauriston House / Rathcooney[1].

Policy and Objective Alterations

1. We also request that changes are made to Objective 10.73 of the Draft Development Plan so as to refine / omit references to Framework Plans for Ballyvolane.  Objective 10.73 as written does not reflect the fact that many parts of Ballyvolane do not require a Framework Plan; as consents and infrastructure proposals largely predefine the allocation of uses and future pattern of development. (Refer Section 4.0 – Page 32 of the attached Main Submission)
2. We ask that the proposed Car Parking Standards are relaxed.  The standards proposed are challenging for some uses, i.e. convenience retail, and reflect areas that have mature and comprehensive public transport and other modal choice opportunities.  We submit that the Council allows itself the “policy” space to either relax standards on a case-by-case basis or refine what is proposed to reflect accessibility and availability of public transport. (Refer Section 6.0) We also request in Section 6.0 that changes are made to food retail sales car parking provisions (to allow car parking on the basis of 1 space per 20 sq.m.) and the designation of Ballyvolane as a Zone 2 area in advance of the provision of Bus Connects.  The submission in this respect asks for changes to Tables 4.6 and Sections 11.13 of the Draft Plan.
3. We ask that the Council allows itself the “policy / decision” flexibility to manage density proposals on a case-by-case basis by having regard to companion measures of density, i.e. the number of Rooms per Ha. as opposed to solely the number of Units per Ha.  For example, some schemes may deliver a mix of units that may be desirable in meeting the Council’s Housing Needs Demand Assessments.  However, they may “fail” density calculations (i.e. be less than 35 Units per Ha) but still provide the same number of rooms that a “compliant” scheme may. (Refer Section 6.0 of the attached Main Submission)
4. Amend Section 11.83 Draft Cork City Development Plan to omit the distinction between Duplexes accessed from public and common areas. (Refer Section 2.4 of the attached Main Submission)

Correct Errors in the Draft Plan

1. A small portion of residentially zoned lands on our land holding which is zoned for Tier 3 provides for 135 consented homes and apartments.  Tier 3 zoning in this respect appears to be an error.  These lands should be identified as Tier 1 / 2. (Refer Section 2.5 and Figure 2).
2. We note that in simple map terms (see Figure 1 following) the Housing Needs Demands Assessment has the Ballyvolane UEA area split between the “North East Suburbs” and the “City Hinterland”; simply reflecting historic Electoral Ward boundaries.  Our consent (ABP Ref TA28.306325) is actually located in the City Hinterland but is functionally part of the North East Suburbs.  The Draft City Plan must address this.  This can be done by;

• correcting Figure 2.10 of the Plan, or
• confirming that the City Regeneration and Expansion Areas on Figure 2.8 of the Plan to include greenfield areas that have live consents that will see them integrate with existing Neighbourhoods.  This can be done by including a footnote to Figure 2.10 stating “Mayfield (NE) Area 10 and The Glen (NE) Area 12 include areas of new consented housing in the adjoining Hinterland”. (Refer Section 2.5)

1. We ask that the Council, given the legal Section 47 Agreements that it has entered into with us on foot of ABP Ref TA28.306325 and the 750 + homes permitted on our holding, acknowledge and confirm that the Ballyvolane UEA is part of the North East Suburbs; the Section 47 spans lands in both areas, the North East Suburbs and the City Hinterland as currently expressed. 

[1] Please refer to proposals for the North East Regional Park 10.331 and Section 10.285 which states that “Over the long term, a North East Regional Park is proposed to accommodate the active recreational needs of Glanmire, Ballyvolane and Mayfield residents. This is discussed in more detail under North East Regional Park. In terms of the proposed growth to the south, additional open space (including local and pocket parks) and community sports ground will be required“