Refusal decisions · 12–18 Oct 2026

1. The proposed development is in an area which is at risk of flooding, sited in the Town Centre of Clonakilty on land to which the specific zoning objective CK-T-01 applies, and sited on lands that have been identified as Flood Zone A and Flood Zone B in the Cork County Development Plan 2022. Notwithstanding the Flood Risk Assessment submitted, on the basis of the information submitted, and having regard to the provisions of the County Development Plan and its associated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development has been justified, and considers that the proposed highly vulnerable ground floor residential use would not be appropriate on land that is at risk of flooding within the Town Centre CK-T-01 lands in Clonakilty. Furthermore, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that residual risk has been appropriately addressed, that compensatory storage is not needed, that the development will not increase flood risk elsewhere, and the proposal would conflict with the objectives WM 11-16 and WM 11-17 of the County Development Plan. Accordingly, the proposed development would, if permitted, conflict with the Ministerial Section 28 Guidelines, The Planning System and Flood Risk Management, 2009, would conflict with the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The Planning Authority considers, on the basis of the information submitted, and following the completion of Appropriate Assessment, that the proposed development has the potential to give rise to adverse effects on the integrity of the Clonakilty Bay Special Area of Conservation and the Clonakilty Bay Special Protection Area as significant impacts to water quality and qualifying interests and Special Conservation Interests and supporting habitats arising from inadequate surface water management cannot be ruled out, and by reason that significant impacts to water quality and qualifying interests and supporting habitats arising from flooding and the potential associated knock on effects cannot be ruled out. Additionally, the Planning Authority considers that the proposed development would materially contravene the objective BE 15-2 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022, which seeks to protect all natural heritage sites which are designated or proposed for designation under European legislation, National legislation and International Agreements. Accordingly, the proposed development would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. As set out in objective EC 8-15 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022, it is an objective of the Planning Authority to encourage the development of sustainable agriculture and related infrastructure including farm buildings. In this regard, it is considered that the applicant has not adequately demonstrated an agricultural need for the scale and extent of the hard standing area, ornamental wrought-iron gates, concrete-panel boundary walls and associated ancillary works in the context of the stated landholding. Having regard to the nature, scale and design of the development and the extent of the landholding, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the development represents a justified or appropriate form of agricultural development at this location or that it would accord with the stated objective to provide sustainable agricultural development. Furthermore, the development to be retained appears visually prominent in the rural landscape and interferes with the character of the rural landscape, which it is necessary to preserve. In addition, by reason of the proximity to existing third-party dwellings, the development would seriously injure the residential amenities of those properties. The development would, therefore, seriously injure the visual and residential amenities of the area and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The Planning Authority is not satisfied, on the basis of the information submitted, that adequate provision has been made for the management, attenuation and safe disposal of surface water arising from the hard standing area. In particular, it has not been adequately demonstrated that surface water runoff generated by the development can be discharged without increasing the risk of flooding of the application site, adjoining properties or the public road and would not exacerbate future flooding events. The development to be retained would therefore give rise to an unacceptable potential risk of surface water flooding and would be seriously injurious to the amenities of property in the vicinity. The development would therefore be contrary to objective WM 11-15 (Flood Risk Assessments) of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The proposal involves the development of a 24 hour restaurant including a drive thru on lands zoned "Business and General Employment” under the provisions of the County Development Plan (CDP) 2022. Objective ZU 18-15 of the Plan seeks to promote such areas as the primary locations for employment uses. Objective ZU 18-17 seeks to ‘promote the development of town centres and neighbourhood centres as the primary locations for retail and uses of this nature that provide goods or services principally to visiting members of the public. Having regard to the zoning objective for the site, policy objective ZU 18-17 and having regard to the location of the proposed development outside of town centre or designated retail/neighbourhood areas, it is considered that the proposal, if permitted would constitute an inappropriate departure from the core zoning objective and materially contravene the Development Plan. The granting of permission for this use at this location will also create an undesirable precedent for similar type developments which cumulatively, will conflict with town centre Objective ZU 18-17 which seeks to ensure the vitality and viability of the town centre, and would generate additional car orientated trips on the road network not designed for this purpose. The proposals therefore conflicts with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Having regard to the location of the proposed development in an area zoned ZO 1 Sustainable Residential Neighbourhoods in the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, it is considered that the proposed development, by reason of its siting and design, would fail to respect the established building line of properties in the vicinity and would also detract from the character of the local area. Consequently, the proposed development would result in a disorderly and visually obtrusive feature which would dominate the streetscape and detract from the visual amenity and character of the area. If permitted, the proposed development would set an undesirable precedent for similar sites in the vicinity. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. The site of the proposed development is located within an area under strong urban influence as set out in the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities issued by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in April, 2005 and is designated a High Value Landscape and Metropolitan Greenbelt as set out in the Cork County Development Plan 2022 where it is policy to restrict housing development. It is considered that the proposed development when taken in conjunction with existing development in the vicinity, would constitute an excessive density of development and undesirable ribboning in a scenic coastal rural area, would militate against the preservation of the rural and scenic visual amenities of the area, in a rural area where there are no sewerage facilities or water mains and the intensification of such a pattern would be prejudicial to public health and, eventually lead to demands for the uneconomic extension of public facilities to the area. The proposed development would therefore not be in accordance with the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard because the application site is served by a restricted, narrow, winding and substandard access road which is inadequate to cater for the additional traffic movements likely to be generated by the proposed development. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The proposed development would be prejudicial to public health because further proliferation of on-site waste water treatment systems and associated percolation areas in the area would create a significant risk of pollution of ground water and of private wells in the area. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
4. The application site is located within the Metropolitan Greenbelt, the area under strongest urban pressure for rural housing as identified in the Cork County Development Plan 2022 wherein it is the policy of the Planning Authority to restrict rural housing to persons who can demonstrate an exceptional rural generated housing need. Based on the information provided, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated compliance with the housing need criteria for a dwelling at this location as set out in Policy Objective RP 5-3. The proposed development would, therefore, contravene the provisions of the Development Plan with regard to the provision of sustainable rural housing and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Having regard to the pattern of development in the area, site selection and the availability of alternative site options, and noting the recent planning history as it pertains to the subject site, it is considered that the proposed development would exacerbate ribbon development at this location which is contrary to Policy Objective RP 5-24 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 where there is a presumption against development which would contribute to or exacerbate ribbon development. The proposed development would result in the creation of an infill site to the east and would lead to an expectation of permission on adjoining lands in a rural area where there is significant urban pressure for rural dwellings, therefore further exacerbating ribbon development. The proposal would set an undesirable precedent for development of a similar nature and would therefore be contrary to Policy Objective RP 5-24 in the Cork County Development Plan and would not be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

1. The proposal seeks permission for the construction of a dwelling within a rural area that is categorised as a Transitional Rural Area in the Cork County Development Plan 2022 where Objective RP 5-7 applies. Within this area, applicants must demonstrate that their proposal constitutes a genuine rural generated housing need based on their social / economic links to a particular local rural area. Based on the information submitted, 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, would materially contravene the objectives RP 5-2 and RP 5-7 contained in the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
2. The proposed development would be situated on a prominent and exposed site, in the rural townland of Clashduff and Baurnahulla, approximately 2 km south of Drimoleague Village. It is the Council’s stated objective under RP 5-22, GI 14-9 and GI 14 - 12 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 to ensure that new development meets a high standard of siting and design, can fit appropriately into the landscape, protect skylines and ridgelines from development and protect the character of special views and prospects of upland areas. Having regard to the elevated and exposed nature of the site and to the siting, height, scale and design of the dwelling being proposed, it is considered that this proposal would represent an inappropriate form of development that would be out of character with the established settlement pattern of development in the area and the proposal would not fit appropriately into the surrounding landscape, would interrupt the skyline and result in a visually intrusive feature on the landscape which would seriously detract from the essential rural character and visual amenities of the area. The proposed development would, therefore, contravene materially policy objectives RP 5-22, GI 14-9 and GI 14-12 of the Cork County Development Plan 2022 and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Having regard to the proposed development being located in an area served by public combined sewers which are Uisce Éireann assets, and the Confirmation of Feasibility (CoF) from Uisce Éireann which prohibits the discharge of storm water to the foul network, the Planning Authority is not satisfied that a valid storm water drainage strategy for the site/ development has been provided. The proposed development would, therefore, lead to disorderly development and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.