Planning granted for apartments to house asylum seekers that puts Cork golf club in 'serious danger'
Seán McCárthaigh
An Coimisiún Pleanála has granted planning permission for a small apartment development to house asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees on the outskirts of Macroom, Co Cork, which a local golf club claims will place its future “in serious danger.”
The Commission has upheld a decision of Cork County Council to approve the planning application by property development firm, Peppard Investments Limited, to construct 20 apartments adjacent to Macroom Golf Club course at Lower Codrum, Macroom, Co Cork.
It rejected appeals by the golf club and two local residents against the council’s decision.
Peppard Investments claims the new apartments are needed to provide additional accommodation ancillary to the similar facility it operates in the former Riverside Park Hotel, a short distance away for housing international protection applicants.
An Coimisiún Pleanála said the proposed development would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of local properties or the natural environment, subject to compliance with several planning conditions.
They include that the apartments can only be occupied by international protection applicants and Ukrainian refugees.
The Commission also ruled that the apartment scheme would not be prejudicial to public health or traffic safety and would “contribute to the compact growth of the settlement.”
The golf club’s secretary, Cáit Breathnach, said its members were concerned about the health and safety aspect of the apartment development due to its proximity to the golf course.
Ms Breathnach said they did not think the proposed erection of a two-metre high fence would be sufficient, while they were also concerned about the drainage on the development site
In its appeal, Macroom Golf Club claimed the location is “the wrong place for residential development” as it did not follow normal planning principles of sequential development from town centres.
The club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, expressed concern that placing homes right along the boundary of the site given its proximity to the 13th hole on the golf course, would be “like holding a candlelit procession in a gunpowder factory.”
It warned there would inevitably be an issue with stray golf balls which would put the golf club “in a terrible position” in relation to the cost of insurance and the threat of litigation.
While stray balls have always entered the development site, Macroom Golf Club said it has never been a problem before as they fell into an underused field.
The golf club, which has around 750 members, described itself as “a true community facility” that is “now put in serious danger by the proposed development.”
It claimed it would cost up to €300,000 to reorient the 13th hole, which would have knock-on effects on the entire golf course, while the installation of netting would cost approximately €70,000.
“You can imagine otherwise what the cost of legal claims against the golf club could be,” it added.
“Such a wonderful facility – built on land still owned by the people of Macroom – should not be put at risk for the sake of poor housing provision 2km from the centre of the town and without bus connections,” the club stated.
It claimed it was one thing to use “a failing hotel” to house international protection applicants when accommodation was badly needed, as it was an existing building.
However, the club said it was another matter entirely to build a new standalone facility in a highly undesirable location.
In its appeal, Macroom Golf Club also claimed it had legally acquired rights for access across the development site.
In response, Peppard Investments claimed the golf club has a responsibility to operate safely and not to litter its site with golf balls which could cause harm to residents.
They also disputed the club’s claims that it had a right of easement over the site by reason of golf balls being hit onto the land or that a right of way existed.
The appellant parties also raised concerns about deficiencies in the public water supply in Macroom, which would be exacerbated by allowing the apartment development.
In a 46-page report, a planning inspector with An Coimisiún Pleanála said it was unlikely that the development would significantly interfere with the operation of the golf club due to a difference in ground levels between the two sites, heavy vegetation and proposed fencing.
The inspector said the development represented an efficient use of underutilised infill lands and would contribute to delivering “a compact urban form.”
She also expressed satisfaction that existing residential amenities are protected.
The inspector observed there was insufficient evidence to show there was a designated right-of-way through the site.
She said any issue over whether the golf club had acquired an easement over the land was a civil matter, although she noted it had not provided any evidence to support its claim.
