Cork county development plan is officially adopted

Cork County Council has taken the final step in the adoption of the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028.

The plan was officially adopted on 25 April and came into effect on Monday. The culmination of a 2 year statutory review process, the new plan streamlines planning policy in the county by replacing the current County Development Plan.

It also replaces the 8 existing Municipal District Local Area Plans and the 9 former Town Council Plans, bringing eighteen statutory planning documents together as one. The plan is also the first for the new administrative area of Cork county and provides full alignment between countywide strategic issues and local policies. Its new streamlined format is partly designed to make the County Development Plan more accessible to the public.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Gillian Coughlan, said: “The adoption of the Cork County Development Plan is a testament to the determination of the elected members and executive of Cork County Council to deliver for the communities of Cork county. The plan supports the creation of attractive and vibrant places to live, affording people the opportunity to live closer to where they work, revitalising our towns and villages while safeguarding our environment.” Prepared during the Covid-19 pandemic, the plan required the council to explore new ways of working while consulting with members of the public and stakeholders. This included hosting on-line meetings, a public webinar and facilitating on-line submissions.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said: “Embarking on a development plan review is always a significant undertaking but doing so during a pandemic required us as a council to really demonstrate our ability to adapt.

“As people spend more time at home and in their local area, it has become even more evident how important it is for everyone to understand the importance of having a say in the issues that shape their home and work environment. This was evidenced in the significant levels of engagement with this plan, with three rounds of public consultation and over 3,000 submissions.

“The public have made a hugely positive contribution to the blueprint for development of Cork county for the next six years.”

Set out over 6 volumes, the County Development Plan covers a range of topics including placemaking; housing; marine spatial planning; water services; energy; transport; green infrastructure; cultural heritage; and biodiversity and climate change as set out in volume one main policy material. Volume 2 lists the heritage assets of the county including the record of protected structures. Settlement specific information and zoning is contained in volumes 3 (North Cork), 4 (South Cork) and 5 (West Cork).

The plan is supported by a map browser, a user-friendly tool that displays the detailed maps of the Plan and facilitates spatial analysis.