The City Development Plan 2022 - 2028 will play a critical role in ensuring that the needs of the Cork region will be met over the course of the next decade. Over the lifetime of this plan key infrastructure projects must be delivered to schedule, which will act as catalysts to ensure that Cork remains on track to achieve its enormous potential under Project Ireland 2040. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is imperative that Cork City Council uses this plan to make a compelling case for development, so as to ensure that Government policies and funding continue to support societal and economic growth in the region.

This group expressed concerns in August 2020 that the pre-draft consultation document for the Cork City Development Plan did not make a strong argument for the need to progress the N28 upgrade project without any further delays. Upon review of the draft City Development Plan, we were pleased to see the inclusion of a specific section of the plan dedicated to the project (Volume 1, Chapter 4). However, it is still the opinion of this group that the language used is not representative of a firm commitment to advancing the project in a timely manner.