The Cork Veg Out group submission on the city development plan.
The Cork Veg Out group submission is first and foremost concerned with our core activity of promoting vegan and wild foraged food in a social setting and secondarily the interests of our members who primarily live, study or work in Cork City Centre. Their biggest problem is the lack housing close to employment, services and social spaces. This is because of sprawl and the dominance of the car over walking, cycling and public transport. People want to be able to walk or cycle or take public transport longer distances and not to have to drive or live isolated in suburban sprawl.
The following are our priorities.
That the city drive to reduce impact on the environment particularly by lowering its consumption of meat.
That wild and natural spaces in the vicinity of the city be protected.
That foraging of wild foods be facilitated and encouraged by ensuring that when pesticides are used there is clear labelling of chemical used on the date on which it was used is posted.
That public parks prioritise wild and natural spaces and that space is provided in public parks communal eating such as fire pits for barbecuing and picnic tables
That the city strives to become a low impact low carbon City where environmentally damaging activities like the excessive consumption of meat and driving are discouraged.
That meat free catering becomes the norm rather than the exception at city council event and vegan options are prominently offered.
That streets are to be social spaces.
We want of a 5/10-minute city like Paris. Everything in walking distance.
That permeability is guaranteed to more cul de sacs and walls blocking pedestrians moving between estates
A 30KPH speed limit everywhere.
That pedestrians come first then cyclists then public transport and cars last.
That arts and culture are a priority.
Compact car free development close to the centre rather than car dependant sprawl.
No new parking, remove as much as possible and any that remains including residents parking and at shopping centres, employment etc. must charge the full commercial cost. Parking cannot be sold or rented together with housing.
Comments on the Draft Plan
Chapter 6
In our pre draft submission we called for
“That wild and natural spaces in the vicinity of the city be protected.”
That foraging of wild foods be facilitated and encouraged by ensuring that when pesticides are used there is clear labelling of chemical used on the date on which it was used is posted.
“That public parks prioritise wild and natural spaces and that space is provided in public parks communal eating such as fire pits for barbecuing and picnic tables”
We recognise and support that Chapter 6 contains significant protection for wild and natural spaces in the city but note that there is no specific mention of foraging or the use of edible plants in the plan.
Objectives 6.20
While this objective is well-meaning it is poorly worded it because as it is in written it would appear to protect large open grassy spaces in suburban estates which have a low or no nature, conservation or amenity value.
That a space is simply open or grass covered does not mean that that space has conservation or amenity value. Planted an mowen urban grass cannot in any way be considered a “wild and natural space” and has no conservation value. In many cases these areas are too large to be useful as an amenity space or to be managed for conservation value.
We would suggest that these large green spaces are reimagined allowing for amenity and Conservation spaces to be created within a part of these spaces and if necessary funded by infill development on the balance of the site.
At a minimum we would suggest that the objective is rewritten to distinguish between open grass spaces of no conservation or amenity value and spaces of genuine conservation or amenity value.
Chapter 5
We are very disappointed that there is no mention of the greenhouse impact of meat consumption in chapter 5 or any commitment to work to reduce the level of meat consumption in the city.
Chapters 2, 3, 10 & 11
We broadly welcome the move towards compact growth and a 15-minute City in line with the priorities we outlined in our 2020 predraft submission. We would like to particularly support the decupling of parking from housing proposed in the Tivoli area plan. We are however dismayed that the City docks area plan proposes building more parking spaces (10,280 total spaces) than homes (10,000).