Read about the project here: Part 8 Planning Notice – Scairt Cross Development | Cork City Council’s Online Consultation Portal

There has been a long process to get to this point, and I appreciate the work done on this project by our housing directorate and the partners on this project.

I’d also like to thank local residents for their journeying with this housing proposal; it has been a long and anxious two years.

There have been many comments by local residents concerning traffic, lack of public transport options, height, density, architecture, issues around place-making.

There have been significant amendments, which I am glad for especially taking down in height the tower element at the front of the building.

But for all the amendments, for me it still boils down to a development that just doesn’t fit in the area.

And this is where I am very torn on this development arising from long meetings with colleagues and local residents.

Indeed, my overall perspective on this development and what I can’t keep thinking about is that “Douglas Deserves Better”

I watch the overall development of new houses – public and private in the Donnybrook area – which is great but I watch with unease the “housing at all cost”unsustainable planning model.

And it’s not just one estate it is the myriad of them all together.

I really worry for the area from upper Donnybrook into the Castletreasure area.

There are no real ambitions around a proper public transport system, no ambition around new large public parks and playgrounds, no ambitions around neighbourhood building, and no ambitions around sustainable place making;

and I think one of the prime weaknesses in all of this is within our own City Development Plan, which doesn’t take into account enough the issues of sustainable planning in the outer suburbs of the city.

And so my gut and experience as a public rep for so many years now is to vote no to this proposal on the grounds of unsustainable planning.

It’s my call that Douglas deserves better scrutiny in how it is being planned for the future. Ultimately Douglas deserves better.