‘SCOPE’ TO BUILD MORE HOUSES IN MITCHELSTOWN

Cork County Council are not giving the go-ahead for building work until upgrade works start on the Waste Water Treatment (WWT) Plant in Mitchelstown. However, there is 'scope' for more houses to be built locally before that time, according to Seán Sherlock TD.

Mr Sherlock spoke to The Avondhu about what can be done on a temporary basis for development in Mitchelstown, while the community awaits the improvements to the Waste Water Treatment Plant. This week, Irish Water has released details of what some of those upgrades will consist of.

“I think the solution here is for Cork County Council and Irish Water to come together, at least to drive a temporary solution, because of the number of mortgage approvals that are in Mitchelstown that can’t go forward to building. If that much could be done, at least a stopgap, that would provide a lot of relief to builders and house hunters.”

“Within the current EPA licence, there is scope to provide for more houses to be built in Mitchelstown, and that is a matter for Irish Water to tease out, or come to a solution on, with Cork County Council. What we need is clarity from Cork County Council, because I understand that Irish Water has made the case, and now the onus is on the council to treat this with some urgency, and it would give greater confidence to people in advance of the complete overhaul of the plant.”

“If you could provide potential for up to 100 houses within the current infrastructure, that would provide a further boost in Mitchelstown and other towns like it, so as not to force young people, in particular, into other areas outside of Cork and beyond. If Mitchelstown is to flourish, it needs an influx of new families to support schools, sporting clubs and businesses.”

In response to the announcement earlier this month that the Minister for Housing was due to visit the town in response to lobbying on the issue, Mr Sherlock responded that a physical visit was not necessary for action.

“It doesn’t require a visit from Darragh O’Brien for something to happen, all the minister needs to do from Dublin is use his influence with Cork County Council to nudge this along now.”

A date has not yet been confirmed for Minister O’Brien’s visit to Mitchelstown.

PREVENTED

The council has prevented building from commencing on a development of 24 houses in Mitchelstown until the WWT Plant expansion commences. Cllr Deirdre O’Brien told The Avondhu about her experience with the council, and their refusal to allow planning to go ahead, despite Irish Water agreeing to connect the would-be customer.

“I have a constituent who has all their conditions met for the development of a number of houses, and an agreement from Irish Water that they will connect the development. I went to the council, I said look - he has a connection to Irish Water, but the council are saying they won’t give the planning until the plant is upgraded, despite Irish Water having given him a connection agreement.”

One of the conditions attached to the planning application, which was granted with conditions, is that “Construction works pursuant to this permission shall not commence on site prior to the commencement of the planned upgrade works to the Mitchelstown Wastewater Treatment Plant”. It notes that this is “in the interests of sustainable development and proper planning.”

The council have been contacted for comment on the above claims, and The Avondhu awaits a response at the time of going to print.

TWO INTERIM OPTIONS

Meanwhile, Irish Water has revealed in a Freedom of Information Request, made by a member of the public, that the company has appointed a contractor to deliver a long-term upgrade and expansion to the existing plant. It has also released details of the short-term ‘interim’ solution in advance of the more permanent longterm one.

Local businessman, Denis McGrath, who made the FOI request, welcomed the news, however decried the fact that the developments were coming a decade late, due to ‘political inaction’.

“This is a most welcome development and will keep this issue front and centre at a high level. We have already lost young people to neighbouring villages and towns like Kilworth and Fermoy where new housing developments are coming on stream at a steady pace. We are now playing catch up, but we are not even at the starting line, when the reality is that this issue should have been addressed 10 years ago.

“Mitchelstown is now reaping the rewards of political representation inaction, and if anybody wants to see what urban decay looks like, then they need only walk down Upper Cork Street and see a pedestrian crossing that was put in place to keep our school children safe, closed for a number of months now, due to a collapsed building. In the name of God, is anybody representing Mitchelstown at any level?”

In Irish Water’s response to the FOI request, they advised that they had appointed a contractor to deliver a longer-term upgrade and expansion to the capacity of the existing plant, to cater for the projected 10-year growth in Mitchelstown, with provision to cater for projected 25 year growth. The company is reviewing options for the longer-term solution at this time, including water quality monitoring both upstream and downstream, to help inform solutions for the plant upgrade.

For the interim upgrade, Irish Water is examining two potential options. They have appointed a contractor to prepare a report, and estimate that this will be complete by January 2022. After that, the feasibility of both options will be discussed with Cork County Council.

If it needs to go to planning with the council, however, Cllr Deirdre O’Brien stated, “Sure, we’ll be looking at 2024 before we see it!”