Planning, Green spaces, infrastructure, dereliction

Uimhir Thagarta Uathúil: 
CRK-C155-DEV21-350
Stádas: 
Submitted
Údar: 
Kitty Sedgwick
Líon na ndoiciméad faoi cheangal: 
0
Teorainneacha Gafa ar an léarscáil: 
Údar: 
Kitty Sedgwick

Litir Chumhdaigh

I am an ordinary citizen increasingly frustrated by the state of our city falling down around us and nothing being done. I previously lived in the city center, loved living there and can't understand why buildings and spaces above retail units are allowed to fall into disrepair when people are desperate for homes. I now live in an area which is about to expand greatly, but am concerned that that the shape of this development will be left to the developers, instead of Cork City Council grasping this huge opportunity to create a world class extension to our city.

Tuairimí

Ballyvolane, District Centre and Urban Expansion Area, Glen River Park

Cork City Council has a huge opportunity in Ballyvolane Urban Expansion Area (UEA), to ensure that development conforms to all of the strategic objectives laid out in both the city development plan and the Cobh and Municipal District Area Plan. With up to 3,600 new homes planned for the area, this is a real chance to use international best practice on new housing to achieve the strategic objectives around liveability, cycling and walking, green and blue spaces and the 15 minute city.

Unfortunately the first section of the development, which as already been granted planning, fails on many of the objectives contained within both the Local Area Plan and the City Development Plan. An Bord Pleanala’s remarks (2019) mentions issues around the expansion being predicated on the Northern Distributor road being built, lack of cycling and walking infrastructure, lack of clarity around whether the road through the development is in the correct place and lack of access/routes to green space.

The development is also walled all around creating the very ‘island development’ that the city claims to want to avoid, with the footpath on the outside of the development next to what will be a busy and fast road. Why will this not be a foot and cycle path protected by planting?

From the LAP

− Promote permeability within the area and relationship to and linkages with the wider area;
− Proposals for the creation and treatment of public realm and open space within the area having
regard to the topography of the area, in particular the visually prominent ridgeline to the north;

The Ballyvolane site is located within the City Harbour and Estuary Landscape type as
defined by the Draft Landscape Strategy which is considered very high in terms of sensitivity and
value.

3.4.82 The key principles in considering sustainable development on the site are as follows:-­‐
− Ensure that the proposed development provides effective connectivity (walking and cycling) to
the town centre, educational and employment centres for the future residents;

 

The opportunity exists here for Cork City Council to create a world class extension to the city by dictating in advance the shape of the development and its connection to the city.

 

Mapping Infrastructure before Housing

Cork City Council has an incredible opportunity in Ballyvolane to decide in advance of any houses being built, what and where infrastructure is needed. For the Urban Expansion Area Cork City Council should map in advance

All protected cycle lanes and footpaths

All roads and bus stops through the developments

All natural flood mitigation including planting/pocket forests/swales

All access to and boundaries around the 35 hectare designated green space(LAP) Particularly linking this green space to the district centre.

All road frontage

This allows the council rather than developers to design the city according to the strategic objectives laid out in the City Development plan. Many other cities undergoing periods of expansion have successfully mapped out their cities in advance allowing building only where it is designated.

Designing this in advance will ensure key strategic objectives like permeability, 15 minute city, increased walking and cycling, increased public transport use, and balancing density with green space.

 

 

Flood Management and Run Off

Ballyvolane has a well known problem with run off flooding from the UEA area. It stands to reason that building on land which already has a problem retaining water will only cause more flooding down the line. We saw a large number of flash flooding events this year due almost certainly to climate change and so we should question our reliance on the 1 in 100 year event metric.

Mapping infrastructure before housing allows for natural flood defences to be put in place before any planning is even submitted for development. For example

The LAP has identified small watercourses which could be useful for channelling run off and these could be incorporated into the design of the area achieving yet another strategic objective of utilising our current green/blue infrastructure.

Pocket forests or tree planting could be commenced in order to create a bank of well established semi mature trees.

Planting can be commenced to create protected foot and cycle paths

A biodiversity corridor can be created retaining existing hedgerows leading to the 35 hectare green space at the top of the ridge.

Swales can be incorporated into public amenity green space

 

Creating a District Centre

Ballyvolane lacks a coherent village centre and a place where people can gather. Dunnes and Lidl while important retail centers, do not provide a sense of place as outlined in SO. For the development of the liveability of the area, and to achieve the strategic objectives of the 15 minute city and placemaking, the area around the Fox and Hounds should be focused on as the ‘district centre’ and upgraded accordingly.

The Fox and Hounds pub and adjacent buildings including the stone building added to the protected buildings register. These are the only turn of the century buildings in this area, occupy a prominent place at a crossroads and are a local landmark.

No photo description available.

Creation of town plaza at the rear of the Fox and Hounds to include public seating and access to the Upper Glen River Park

Pedestrian and cycle links from existing and planned housing developments to allow easy access.

‘Meanwhile use’ of all the unused space in the building behind the Fox and Hounds pub (some of which has never been in use since the building was built).

 

Roads and Junctions/Public Transport/Park and Ride

Currently the proposed route of the Northern Distributor Road bisects the UEA and runs through the area designated as high landscape value/open space. It is described as a road which will enable a HGV ban in the city centre which means the plan is to have HGVs routed through the middle of a housing estate. This completely contravenes the claimed strategic objectives for new housing developments.

I would urge the council to visit areas where large roads have been developed through residential areas – for example in the Santry/Glasnevin/St Margaret’s Road area of Dublin. Here islands of development are separated by large, busy roads and retail parks surrounded by large car parks. It is dystopian in scale and seems in no way to have considered the humans that live there.

The junction at the Fox and Hounds pub is already wide and difficult to navigate as a pedestrian and so should not be increased in size.

The area of trees/planting at this junction should be retained as 1. a green amenity space (a bench would be good) and 2. run off mitigation

A Park and Ride facility is desperately needed on the north side of the city.

The bus timetable has been reduced from 3 times per hour to 2 times per hour. It is often late, and sometimes leaves early which is worse. The strategic objective of increasing public transport will not happen if there is not a sufficiently frequent and reliable service.

A bus route linking northside suburbs should be considered.

 

Cycling Infrastructure

The North Ring Road and Ballyhooly Road should have protected bike lanes. There is a disgraceful lack of cycling infrastructure on the north side with topography often quoted as the main issue, however whole sections of the area around Ballyvolane/Mayfield are flat. Cycle paths linking schools, shops and homes should be a priority.

 

Glen River Park

This park is a biodiversity oasis in the city and should be preserved as such and not ‘developed’ with the use of hard landscaping or cycle paths. As the park has been earmarked for development/funding this should take place in the form of

 

Designation as a Natura Site including the upper extension of the site.

Upper site made accessible to the public

Site managed as a wild area within the city and not treated as a manicured park

No use of glyphospates or any other substances harmful to the ecosystem

Training for all city parks staff in the management of nature reserves

Education packs/tours/poster boards etc to teach people about the wealth of species found here

 

The previous development plan indicated that the upper section of the Glen River Park would be opened up as an amenity area but no progress has been made to date.

What should definitely not be done is create a hard thoroughfare through the park which would encourage inappropriate speeds. Cyclists can use the park as it is without the need for further cycle paths within the park.

Ultimately the plan should be to create a biodiversity corridor from the lower to upper glen and across and up to the designated open space in the Ballyvolane UEA.

 

 

 

Public consultation process

Access to the planning process and submissions is unnecessarily difficult and exclusionary. For true citizen engagement, a plain text version of the document should have been available with area specific documents produced based on the mapped objectives.

It is public consultation in name only if barriers are placed to participation. I would suggest that a legal document 556 pages long is not the best way to engage the public. If the city council truly wanted to get public opinion on the development plan I don't believe you would go about it in this way. This is something that should be considered for the next phase of public consultation.

Main opinion: 

Consultation process is exclusionary

Main requests: 

Make future processes easier for people to engage with

Dereliction, vacancy, meanwhile use, night time economy

Architectural Conservation Areas/Dereliction

In the development plan you say that the “Built heritage of Cork city is a finite and precious resource” yet much of the city seems to be falling down before our very eyes with dereliction, especially of older properties, a huge problem. I appreciate the council has started to apply the dereliction levy recently, but in your letter to Brian O Connell you stated this is normally collected on the sale of the property. Does this mean it is never applied if the property isn’t sold?

I believe the council needs to take a much firmer stance on dereliction and vacancy including

  • Payment of the levy yearly on derelict properties
  • CPOs on properties derelict more than 2 years
  • Ensuring upper floors be used for accommodation in the city centre
  • Ensuring street access is maintained for upper floors

We must also insist that when an act of neglect – wilful or otherwise – results in the destruction of a heritage building, the owner is responsible for rebuilding it. Fines simply become part of the cost of doing business and are not a deterrant.

These are all in line with the strategic objectives stated in the development plan

R&H Hall should not be knocked and instead repurposed. The environmental cost of demolition is huge, and there are many international examples of the repurposing of grain silos for accommodation from student accomodation to hotels.

The Odlums building must be brought back into use.

Night time economy.

A greater focus should be placed on supporting the nighttime economy in Cork, and facilitating spaces for night time events. This can be using existing spaces and also allowing meanwhile use of vacant spaces. Cork has an opportunity to position itself internationally as a night time destination. Particularly while Dublin continues to shoot itself in the foot by destroying what is left of Temple Bar and the night time economy there. We must allow space for the small gigs, the pop up shows, the secret raves, to breathe life into our night time, which in turn provide employment and amenities for our citizens.

 

Built Heritage

Permeability – several businesses in the city centre have blocked off laneways for private use eg Little Cross Street, Grafton Lane. And where streets have been designated for use for outdoor dining, thought has not been given to pedestrians and disabled street users, eg McCurtain Street, Tuckey Street. In other instances businesses have used public seating as their own private seating for outdoor dining – eg Coal Quay.

Cork City Council should ensure citizens are not denied access to public spaces by private business.

 

Protected Structures

As I've said elsewhere, the Fox and Hounds pub and the adjacent stone building in Ballyvolane should be added to the list of protected structures. We know the importance of heritage buildings on street corners as placemakers, and surely we have learned our lesson after the demolition of The Sextant

 

 

 

The plan says one thing, your actions say another

Some of the plan seems to be in direct contravention of what is actually planned for the city. For example

There is a lot about green spaces and increasing green spaces in the city centre – however, the only green space in the city, Bishop Lucey Park, is having much of its soft landscaping and trees removed and paved over to facilitate access to the (as yet not even started) Event Centre. How do you square saying on the one hand we need more green space in the city centre, while simultaneously removing the only one we have?

There is much talk of looking towards the river, increasing river amenities etc, but the current plan for flood relief including walls means that it would not be possible (given increased rates of flow). 

There is also much talk of the development of the Tivoli Docks and the Marina Park with no mention of how these areas are to be protected from rising sea levels.

It is unforgivable really that you haven't included a consultation on the OPW flood protection plan for the city. I'm sure many people are still in the dark about how little of the city is protected by the OPWs plan, how it doesn't have a plan for water rising up through the drains (a major source of flooding in the city centre), how insurance can be as you put it in your own flood report "difficult to obtain" in areas with these type of flood defences, and finally how it destroyed Bandon and Skibereen.

Blackpool streetscape is designated an ACA for it’s “historical street pattern” yet the whole area is being paved over. (ref 5.44) The culverting of the river Bride adds more hard landscaping, in an area where hard landscaping has been the problem. Even in the city’s own flood investigations upstream storage was listed as a flood management solution. It not the best solution for floodi"ng, and it also directly goes against the strategic objective of protecting biodiversity in the city and in particular removes the habitat of the otters who live there.  Not only that but why are the people of Blackpool not afforded a riverside amenity park that can act as a flood defence with a combination of upstream storage and swales. Instead, having run a motorway through their village, you’ll now remove the only greenery.

 

6.19 Landscape Preservation Zones

Clarity is needed on the actual protection these have. Recently 2 of these in Blackpool and Lota were cleared.

 

Re Chapter 3

Recreation and Amenity

More green spaces required on the north side of the city.

Spaces always seem to be focused on sport – can we have more and better green space infrastructure for young people not interested in sport. (see @makespaceforgirls on twitter)

 

Opposed to OPW Flood Defence plans

Progressing urban regeneration rather than expanding into green spaces

Ábhair: 

In order to develop a compact city as described in you strategic objectives, priority should be given to increasing occupation of the city centre. There is very little Tier 1 space designated on the map yet there seems to be a huge amount of brownfield sites when you walk around the city.

A vacant sites officer should be appointed as soon as possible and residency rates in the city centre increased. This also means you will have to put amenities for these new residents in - including green spaces.

Targets/accountability/measurement

 

The Development Plan is full of wonderful ideas and plans, but very short on actual timed, measurable targets or accountability. Comparing this plan to previous plans, many things have been planned before and not realised (eg cycle path and upper glen park, map 4).

It isn't enough really, to say we will create a 15 minute city without giving some indication as to how you will know whether you've achieved it or not. And in fact, how the general population should know whether it has been achieved.

For future plans it would be useful if there were timed outcomes that could be reported back rather than realising in 2028 that targets have been missed, and infrrastructure has been put in place outside of the scope of the strategic goals.

 

 

Suímh a bhaineann leis an aighneacht seo agus le tuairimí

Faisnéis

Uimhir Thagarta Uathúil: 
CRK-C155-DEV21-350
Stádas: 
Submitted
Líon na ndoiciméad faoi cheangal: 
0
Teorainneacha Gafa ar an léarscáil: