Council chief urges public to have their say in the development of their districts
THE chief executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, has issued an open invitation to members of the public to have their say in helping to shape the development of their communities.
Officials from the council’s eight Municipal District’s have been busy drawing up a series draft documents mapping out the development of these areas over the five-year period from 2017 – 2022.
It is intended that once finalised, these documents will replace the Local Areas Plan’s (LAP’s) adopted by the authority in 2011. They will also replace the individual Town Plans drawn up the former Mallow, Fermoy and Macroom Town Council’s prior to their abolition.
Mr Lucey said the new Local Area Plan’s would have implications for every town and village across the length and breadth of Country Cork.
“The draft Local Areas Plans set out the blueprint for how these towns and villages will develop over the coming years in terms of the provision of new houses, shops businesses and amenities such as schools, parks and roads” said Mr Lucey.
“This is the ideal time for people to get involved in the process and to share their views about what is needed in their own areas. We would like to get feedback from the public on the many issues raised in these documents and any other areas of particular interest to them,” he added.
The public consultation phase of this stage of the plan-making process will run until 4pm on January 6, 2017 and submissions can be made in writing to the Planning Policy nit at County Hall or online at www. corkcoco.ie.
Mr Lucey said that, in order to assist the public and explain the issues involved, the Council would be arranging public information events in each of the municipal districts over the coming weeks.
“The Council would like to get your views on the proper planning and sustainable development of your community, and indeed the wider County, before the LAP’s are finalised in July 2017,” he added.
Copies of the draft LAP’s are available to view in full on the council’s website, with hard copies also available to view at County Hall, the council offices at Annabella in Mallow and at public libraries.