Refusal decisions · 3–9 Aug 2026

1. The proposed dwelling and access road, by reason of its elevated, exposed siting, steeply sloping topography and visual prominence within the rural landscape, would constitute an inappropriately sited form of development, that would be visually obtrusive and would fail to integrate into the surrounding rural landscape. The proposed development would seriously detract from the visual and scenic amenities of the rural area, would not respect the natural topography, and would give rise to a visually obtrusive development which would be visually obtrusive and would not fit appropriately into the rural landscape. Accordingly, the proposed development would, if permitted, materially contravene Objectives RP 5-22, GI 14-9 (a), (c) and (d) and HE 16-21 (a) and (d) of the Cork County Development Plan, 2022 and would not be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The proposed development is located within a rural area categorised as a Transitional Rural Area, where it is an objective of the Cork County Development Plan, 2022 to facilitate only the genuine rural-generated housing needs of the local community. On the basis of the information submitted, the applicant has failed to demonstrate compliance with any of the categories of housing need set out under Objective RP 5-7 (a)–(g). In the absence of such evidence, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated a rural generated need for a house at this location. It is therefore considered that the proposed development would conflict with the settlement policy and objective RP 5-7 of the Cork County Development Plan, 2022 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Having regard to the character of the area and the pattern of development which occurs adjacent to the site, it is considered that, by reason of its scale, design, height, and the extent of site coverage, the proposed dwelling would represent the overdevelopment of a small, restrictive and physically constrained urban site, which would be out of character with the surrounding development and would have an overbearing impact on adjoining dwellings that would detract from their residential amenity. Furthermore, the proposed development fails to meet the minimum standards as set out within the Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities – Best Practice Guidelines for Delivering Homes, Sustainable Communities (2007) Ministerial Guidelines, in addition to the provision of deficient private amenity space standards, as set out in the Guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development. The proposed development does not provide an acceptable standard of residential amenity for future residents. Therefore, the proposed development represents a substandard form of development that would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of adjoining properties, would be inconsistent with Objective ZU 18-9: Existing Residential/Mixed Residential and Other Uses of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The proposed development would be located on a site to the north west of Mallow town, overlapping the defined greenbelt of Mallow town and an area identified as a Rural Area Under Strong Urban Influence. On the basis of the information submitted and having regard to the lack of a justification for the proposed development, its nature, siting, design, layout and configuration of the site along with the excessive vehicular entrances and driveway, it is considered that the proposed development would be haphazard and disorderly and it would detract from the amenities of the area. It is considered that the proposal would be contrary to objective HE 16-21 of the County Development Plan 2022 which seeks to ensure that new development respects the character, pattern and tradition of existing places and fits appropriately into the landscape and objectives GI 14-9, BE 15-2 and BE 15-6 of the County Development Plan 2022 which seek to protect hedgerows, trees and biodiversity. The proposal would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments. It is considered that the proposed development would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The proposed development, by reason of the failure of the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed accommodation is required to meet the housing needs of an older person or a person with a disability and having regard to the information submitted, would not constitute ancillary accommodation of the type envisaged under Section 6.6.23 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to Objectives SC 6-11 and SC 6-12 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The retention of the use and temporary change of use of this existing apartment to short-term letting accommodation for a 2-year period would result in the loss of long-term residential housing supply in an area currently characterised by an undersupply of private rental accommodation and housing supply. The change of use would set an undesirable precedent for similar development in the area, would be contrary to the provisions of government circular on Short-Term Letting in the Planning System (Ref SPI 01/2026, January 2026) and would undermine national housing strategy, as set out in the National Planning Framework, First Revision. Furthermore, the continued intensification and nature of short-term letting within an established residential area would seriously injure the residential amenities and depreciate the value the property in the vicinity. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Having regard to the existing pattern of development and the established building style in the area, the proposed development would, by reason of its inappropriate scale, orientation and relationship to dwellings immediately adjoining the site, constitute an inappropriate form of infill development, be visually obtrusive and overbearing in relation to existing dwellings and set an undesirable precedent for the area. The proposed development would, therefore, seriously injure the residential and visual amenities and depreciate the value of these properties, contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.