Litir Chumhdaigh
I am a resident of Blackpool, Cork City. Here are my submissions for the 2022-2028 Cork City Development Plan
The River Bride in Blackpool is important for both heritage and biodiversity.
Formally a source of power and waste drainage for industry, the celtic tiger boom years saw a glut of development along its banks, from the Northpoint Business Park down to Blackpool Village.
A 1996 report by Llewelyn-Davies for Cork Corporation proposed the area now occupied by the Blackpool Retail Park (formerly marshy wetland known as the Polefield North) as ‘a restricted area of ecological value.’
The original river course was significantly altered to accomodate development. A car park now sits on top of the proposed ‘area of ecological value’.
Flooding has also occurred downstream in Blackpool Village on at least three occasions since the 2003 realignment. A proposed OPW flood scheme will see the 350m section of the river in Blackpool Village culverted.
It is clear that the River Bride has not been adequately protected from the negative impacts caused by development in the past. It is imperative that measures are put in place to protect it in the future.
The River Bride has not been given due attention in the 2022-2028 Cork City Draft Development Plan - it should be recognised as a non-designated area of natural heritage importance, worthy of protection from development that may impact negatively on its biodiverse nature.
Non-Designated Areas of Natural Heritage
Importance - Objective 6.25
Cork City Council will seek to map the City’s ecological networks and corridors of local biodiversity value outside of designated areas, and to work with local stakeholders in supporting the effective management of features which are important for wild flora and fauna and habitats.
Rivers, Waterways and Wetlands - Objective 6.6
a. To protect and maintain the integrity, and maximise the potential, of the natural heritage and biodiversity value of rivers, associated watercourses and wetlands in Cork City.
As a biodiverse nature corridor the River Bride is a valuable asset to the the people of Blackpool Village, offering them the chance to experience nature in an urban area with very little green space.
It should be noted that the Blackpool Flood Relief Scheme in its current form runs contrary to the aims set out in chapter 11 of the Draft Cork City Development Plan under Development Proposals in or Adjoining Watercourse Corridors (pg 506 11.217), specific reference is made to NOT landfilling, diverting, culverting and realignment of river and stream corridors.
Objective 6.12 Landscape Preservation Zones - Very recently an area (NW11) marked on the 2015-2021 Cork City Development Plan (and again in the 2022-2028 Draft plan) as a landscape prezervation zone had almost every single tree removed during nesting season, destroying habitat and leaving Blackpool with even less green space. A landscape preservation zone should be just that - it is meaningless if the declaration is not backed up with protective action.
There are hundreds of new houses/apartments planned for Blackpool. Many of these will not have car parking for residents but dohave cycle parking provided instead. We need high quality/safe cycling infrastructure between Blackpool Village and the city centre to encourage people to cycle/walk - currently this does not exist.
Poor access has left the Orchard Court estate in Blackpool Village isolated and neglected, with a serious illegal dumping issue which sees the roadside and the banks of the adjacent River Bride heavily littered on a regular basis.
Increasing pedestrian traffic through the estate by creating a new access point at the northern part of Orchard Court onto the N20 footpath may improve the situation. More pedestrian traffic may help reduce the isolated nature of the estate and reduce illegal dumping.
Access at this point previously featured in the planning application for Phase 2 of the Orchard Court Development but did not materialise. (See Planning Ref: 0428210 Site Layout Plan Drawing Ref: 515.2PL.02 Rev A) Access from this area onto the Blackpool Bypass is also shown
in Diagram 2.2 taken from the 1996 Llewellan Davies Blackpool local plan.
Also referenced in this 1996 report is the ‘Blackpool Valley Walk’ which would have run along Great William O’Brien Street, through Orchard Court (then known as the Wherland Lane Site) and through the area now known as the Blackpool Retail Amenity Park (previously known as The Polefield). See fig 4.4.2
Opening up this access would increase connection between Blackpool Village and the Blackpool Retail Park/Shopping centre. It would also provide more direct access for the residents of
Orchard Court (and those living nearby) to the shopping centre and vice versa.
A ‘desire path’ currently exists at this location which shows that there is a desire for an access point at this location.
The small green space located at the Northern end of Orchard Court, is well used but neglected. It would be good to see more made of this valuable space.