Keep Bishopscourt Green has been nominated in the Irish Blog Awards categord “Best Specialist Blog”.

Here are details of how it will be judged.

More information.

Thank you to the nominator(s)!

An Bord Pleanala have made use of RSS technology to show planning appeals as they are lodged.

The RSS feed for Cork City Council will show if and when Ken Mahon appeals the decision by Cork City Council to refuse the outline planning application for 1 Park Gate Villas and Bishopscourt Green. If you make use of RSS feeds, you may wish to add this link to your subscriptions

An Bord Pleanala also provide a page with FAQs about the appeals process.

Eoin English of the Irish Examiner has written an article regarding the planning decision for Bishopscourt Green.

16 January 2008

Joy for locals as green area saved from housing

By Eoin English
A CHERISHED city green has been saved from development.

The decision by Cork City Council’s planning department to refuse outline planning permission — permission in principle — for four houses on Bishopscourt green in the western suburbs could have implications nationwide as public open spaces are targeted for development.

Planners ruled the location of the proposed development submitted by Ken Mahon was within an area designated as open space in the original planning application for Bishopscourt estate in 1965.

Two references to that permission — one recorded by the city council and one by the county council — were cited.

Planners also cited the provisions of Policy NHR 11 of the Cork City Development Plan which states there will be a presumption against development of public open spaces.

They said they considered the proposed project would contravene that policy and would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity.

“The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” said the ruling. It was not clear last night whether Mr Mahon will appeal the ruling to An Bord Pleanála.

Roisín O’Regan, secretary of the residents’ association, which mounted a huge campaign to save the green, welcomed the decision and said they were ready in the event of a possible appeal.

“We worked very hard to prepare our objections,” she said. “We had a very active and single-minded committee that gave a lot of energy and time to find out all we could to help us protect what we always believed was our own green.”

The 1.6 acre green in Bishopstown has been used as a public amenity for over four decades.

It became the focus of a major community campaign last summer when it was put up for sale as part of the sale of a house which stands on its corner.

Residents were shocked to learn that title to the green was included in the title to the house. The house and green were subsequently sold to Mr Mahon.

He applied late last year for outline planning permission to build four houses on the site — a project which would have resulted in the loss of almost half the site.

An unprecedented 95 submissions objecting to the project were received.

The planners’ decision was issued yesterday to Mr Mahon and to the 95 individuals who submitted observations.

The campaign to save Bishopscourt Green prompted city councillors to amend the city development plan just before Christmas to protect all open green spaces from development.

Ken Mahon’s planning application to develop 1 Park Gate Villas and Bishopscourt Green has been REFUSED outline planning permission.

This is great news for everyone who has been involved in the Keep Bishopscourt Green campaign.

We would like to thank all campaign supporters and especially the hard working committee!

It remains to be seen whether Ken Mahon will make an appeal to An Bord Pleanala or whether he will choose to submit a new application. He may decide to refurbish the house at 1 Park Gate Villas, which is currently in a very poor state of repair.

The planning decision on the outline application for Bishopscourt Green and 1 Park Gate Villas will be made today. There were 95 recorded submissions to Cork City Council objecting to the planning application.

We are very pleased that so many people took the time to write to Cork City Council with their objections.

Our fingers are crossed that the decision will be to refuse outline planning permission, especially given that Variation Number 5 to the City Development Plan was adopted on the 26th November 2007. This variation seeks to protect open green spaces in housing estates throughout the city from development.