CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION TO INDUSTRIAL REZONING

A motion to rezone land in Corrin for industrial use appears unlikely to go ahead, as while four submissions from the public were received by the council in support of the rezoning, another 12 were against it. The site is a 13.9 hectare site in Corrin, 3km south east of Fermoy town, according to the report ‘bound to the south by South Coast Logistics and to the west by Veolia and Flyco’.

Of the four submissions received in favour, one was from the landowner and three were from local business. The 12 submissions against cited reasons such as the fear that the development could exacerbate flooding in Castlelyons, negatively impact the landscape, and that there was already enough industrial zoned land in the Fermoy area.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) also were against the rezoning, saying that it is ‘currently inappropriate’, citing a number of reasons including an increase in traffic. The council too were against the rezoning, saying that there is already “in excess of 60 hectares of zoned and serviced land, with good access to the motorway, available within the development boundary of Fermoy town” and pointed to the 'considerable local public opposition'.

NCT CENTRE

The TII also made an objection against the rezoning of land within Corrin Mart for an NCT centre, for mostly the same reasons. The mart is within a greenbelt, but an exception was made for the building in order to facilitate its relocation from Fermoy town. The rejection of the rezoning was supported by the Chief Executive.

However, there were no public submissions for the proposal, either for or against. The suggestion had previously been warmly welcomed at December’s meeting of council officials, both by elected representatives within and outside the Fermoy Municipal District. One of the nearest NCT centres to motorists in The Avondhu area is in Cahir, where the centre is adjacent to the Cork Marts building in the town.

GORTNAHOWN, MITCHELSTOWN

The third rezoning motion raised by local councillors back in December for the area has also been met largely with opposition. This relates to the rezoning of lands at Gortnahown in Mitchelstown as industrial land, with a view to installing a civic amenity site in the future.

One submission against the development was received by the council, signed by 30 parties. The development is also disrecommended by the TII and the Chief Executive, with the latter saying that there is in excess of 100 hectares of zoned business and industrial lands in Mitchelstown already, and over 60 hectares in Fermoy.

In a submission in favour of the rezoning, the landowner said that any concerns around traffic management, light and noise pollution or vermin, could be addressed at the project planning stage. He also stated that there would be ‘screening belts’ on the perimeter, and fears over odour and vermin would be addressed by only handing dry recyclable material.

The submissions against the rezoning stated fears around pollution of the Gradoge river, the depreciation of value of residential property, and its isolated location. Fears were also voiced that the development would detract from the visual and residential amenities in Mitchelstown.

There were four principle submissions for the Fermoy Municipal District made by elected officials; the three aforementioned, as well as another to retain Coolagown as a village. None of the proposals were supported by the Chief Executive.