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On the agenda for a meeting of Cork County Council today was the proposed retail outlet centre (ROC)/Kildare village style dev. for Cork. Info on that, details on a public consultation process, and why this is a watershed moment that every local authority will be watching. 1/18
Brief update: In January, council voted (42 to 4, 1 abstain) to provide support, in theory, for an ROC development in east Cork.
I voted against: an ROC would be highly car dependent and environmentally unsustainable. It's not the direction we should be going in 2/18
I voted against: an ROC would be highly car dependent and environmentally unsustainable. It's not the direction we should be going in 2/18
Although the council's vote of support was for the theoretical idea of a retail outlet centre in general, a particular developer was making it known that it was willing and ready to make the theory a reality. Some thought it was a done deal.
https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/Cork-to-get-its-own-Kildare-Village-style-outlet-centre-e40bd3cc-46a3-4fc6-a946-ee1a76871bf0-ds 3/18
https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/Cork-to-get-its-own-Kildare-Village-style-outlet-centre-e40bd3cc-46a3-4fc6-a946-ee1a76871bf0-ds 3/18
Amongst those to comment prior to the council's January vote was the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), whose role is to ensure that local authority plans are sustainable and in line with national guidelines.
More info on the OPR @PlanningReg:
https://www.opr.ie/about/
4/18
More info on the OPR @PlanningReg:
https://www.opr.ie/about/
4/18
The OPR gave the opinion that the council's support for an ROC would be premature, and at variance with wider retail, transport, and planning policies. 5/18
The council's planners, on the other hand, have always maintained that they were satisfied that support of an ROC was in compliance with those guidelines. 6/18
Subsequently, in March, the OPR used its powers to recommend to the minister for Housing and Urban Development (Damien English TD) that he direct the council to cancel its support for a retail outlet centre. 7/18
The minister did as recommended, directing that council support for an ROC, adopted in January, be cancelled.
There is currently a public consultation period open, giving people an opportunity to have their say on all this before the decision is confirmed or otherwise. 8/18
There is currently a public consultation period open, giving people an opportunity to have their say on all this before the decision is confirmed or otherwise. 8/18
The case is particularly interesting, as it is the first time, ever, that the OPR has made such a recommendation, and that the minister has issued such a direction to a local authority. 9/18
Anyway, at today's meeting, it was proposed that councillors make a submission, as a body, to the OPR on the matter. The proposed submission was to be comprised of a report by the council's chief executive, arguing that council's support for a retail outlet centre is valid. 10/18
The council voted 43 to 3 in favour of sending the chief executive's report as the council's joint response.
I, @LiamQuaide, and @marciadalton, voted against.
Many arguments were a re-treading of January's debate, the pros and cons of an ROC. 11/18
I, @LiamQuaide, and @marciadalton, voted against.
Many arguments were a re-treading of January's debate, the pros and cons of an ROC. 11/18
The argument was also made that the OPR's actions undermined local democracy.
I disagree. The OPR's role is laid out in The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018. It was created to provide oversight for proper and sustainable development 12/18
I disagree. The OPR's role is laid out in The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018. It was created to provide oversight for proper and sustainable development 12/18
Admittedly, I haven't checked the constitution myself, though I presume legislation was well-scrutinized so as not to be at variance with the constitution. I feel as though the OPR has carried out its obligation to ensure proper and sustainable development in this country. 13/18
So, it is a historic moment. I'm not sure how long it will be, after the deadline for submission to the public consultation has passed, before the minister either confirms his direction, or changes his mind. Sometime in June, perhaps? Watch this space. 14/18
I'm sure every local authority in the country is watching very closely. If the minister follows the OPR's recommendation, then notice is served that development plans will be scrutinized, and will have to be more truly sustainable. 15/18
Deadline for submissions is midnight, Wed. 27 May, at http://corkcocodevplan.com/variations-jan-2020/.
Though council voted today to make a submission in support of the council planners' stance, I'll make my own submission. The chief executive advised that individual councillors are entitled to.
16/18
Though council voted today to make a submission in support of the council planners' stance, I'll make my own submission. The chief executive advised that individual councillors are entitled to.
16/18
Today's events were covered here in the echo: https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/Councillors-vow-to-protect-local-democracy-defend-decision-on-Cork-outlet-centre-d5d893c5-0f41-41cc-bb32-b49c24d299b0-ds 17/18
The submission I made to the public consultation prior to January's vote can be seen here, a more developed argument against an ROC in Cork (or anywhere, really). In short, an ROC would be economically dubious, and environmentally unsustainable.
https://www.facebook.com/CllrAlanOConnor/posts/745764199275508?__tn__=K-R
18/18
https://www.facebook.com/CllrAlanOConnor/posts/745764199275508?__tn__=K-R
18/18
