Rezoning at Gortnahown dropped from discussion

The subject of rezoning at Gortnahown for a civic amenity site in Mitchelstown was dropped before it went to a vote amongst councillors this week, despite being put forward by elected members in December.

The motion had been raised by Cllr Deirdre O’Brien in a meeting of Cork County Council in December. At the time, it was widely supported both by councillors in the area and wider afield, and described as a ‘no-brainer’ by at least one. Underpinning the discussion was the fact that the Fermoy Municipal District is the only one in the county without its own civic amenity site. Councillors also stated that the developer had partnered with an experienced provider in advance preparations, and that this specialist ‘is willing to run and fund the site”.

The motion for rezoning passed in December, with 51 out of 53 councillors in favour.

Following December’s meeting, submissions were made on the plan including one that objected to the project; it was signed by 30 locals objecting to the development of a civic amenity site. Another, in support of the rezoning, was made by the landowner himself, and said that any fears, including those of visual impact, traffic management, noise, light, odour and vermin issues could be addressed and mitigated at the project planning stage.

The Chief Executive’s office of Cork County Council was not in agreement with the rezoning all through this process, saying that “Mitchelstown does not need additional industrial land”. And although councillors appeared to be in favour of the idea at December’s meeting, earlier in April they made the decision to side with the Chief Executive’s Office, and so the subject of rezoning was not up for discussion at Monday’s meeting.