Observations on Housing developments

Uimhir Thagarta Uathúil: 
CRK-C155-DEV21-225
Stádas: 
Submitted
Aighneacht: 
Cork City Development Plan October 2021
Údar: 
Tara de Montfort
Comhairliúchán: 
Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Dáta a cuireadh isteach: 
04.10.2021 - 10:40

3. Delivering Homes and Communities

Caibidil: 
Volume 1 - Written Statement » 3. Delivering Homes and Communities
Ábhair: 
Delivering homes and sustainable neighbourhoods

My observations cover more than delivering homes and sustainable neighbourhoods, but all relate back to this.  Our community needs and deserves a City Development Plan than considers not just development, but sustainable development for the long term future of all our residents in an environment that is healthy and safe and that means considering all three pillars:  Social, Economic and Environment, also remembering that environment means so much more than water, energy, waste and power generation...  Please see document attached.

 

 

Príomh-thuairim: 

• Proper monitoring of the actions and objectives for housing developments (taking SO4 and SO5 into account) is critical, e.g. that the environmental impacts on proposed developments are not just monitored but net positive.

• Plans for the suburbs, with particular reference to suburbs recently transferred into the City suggest a lack of knowledge and understanding of the needs and wants of the residents of those communities.

• A much stronger environmental statement enshrined and integrated into each section of the plan will ensure quality of life for all. The impact of green spaces and nature on health and mental wellbeing is well documented. This needs to be recognized and integrated, not just in this objective, but across all objectives.

• Monitoring and accountability to the City’s residents is key

• Unless the objectives of Climate Action & the Environment (Chapter 5) and Green & Blue Infrastructure, Open Space and Biodiversity (Chapter 6) are entwined and integrated into all other objectives as detailed in the plan, the overall plan’s objectives will be totally unachievable.

Príomh-iarratais: 

• Every multiple housing development considers access to local amenities - business, retail, schools, cultural AND NATURAL

• Any development proposals must to be supported by a comprehensive transport assessment and travel plan (in accordance with the proposed sustainable transport objectives).

• Far more consideration needs to be given to sustainable transport – i.e. getting people out of their cars

• Monitoring and evaluation needs to be much more detailed and stringent - otherwise why bother?! Be transparent and accountable to the City's residents. MEASURABLE targets are required with regular reporting.

• Local community engagement is critical to local community development. The Council needs to connect with community groups and update their base data which in many cases is out of date – both in terms of “assets” and impacts.

• The objectives of Climate Action & the Environment (Chapter 5) and Green & Blue Infrastructure, Open Space and Biodiversity (Chapter 6) must be enshrined in all objectives.

Main reasons: 

In order for our City to have a future, we must consider the three pillars of Sustainable Development and Communities TOGETHER: Social, Economic and Environment. This will ensure that we can meet the plan’s core principles of sustainable development, health (physical and mental), compact growth, the creation of liveable communities and places, and the complimenting of nature and climate resilience.