Chapter 10 I Key Growth Areas & Neighbourhood Development Sites
Flooding
which are completed in accordance with the Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines (2009) and which build upon the strategic flood risk management measures outlined in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment prepared for the Maglin/South Ballincollig Expansion Area. Flood Risk Assessments should ensure that appropriate site-specific mitigation measures are implemented and residual risks are managed to an acceptable level. Retail 10.209 Ballincollig has a modern town centre with a large supply of retail space. The town has a strong convenience retail base with all the main multiples represented but the comparison offer is somewhat lacking when compared to similarly sized centres in the Cork Metropolitan Area and nationally. 10.210 There is significant vacancy on the north side of the town centre, principally along the streets which form part of the Ballincollig Town Centre Development, which was completed in 2007. There is also some vacancy within the Castlewest Ballincollig Shopping Centre itself. As a whole vacancy in the town is somewhat higher than the averages for both the Cork Metropolitan Area and nationally. The challenge for Ballincollig through this plan is to reduce the vacancy levels on the north side of the main street particularly in the Town Centre Development whilst consolidating the current offering. 10.211 The Cork Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) has identified a hierarchy of retail settlements within which Ballincollig is considered a Level 2 Large Metropolitan Town Retail Centre. 10.212 Consolidating the retail core to protect the vitality and viability of Ballincollig as a retail centre is a key aim of the Plan. Only in exceptional circumstances where no alternative site is available within the Core Retail Area will consideration be given to additional large scale standalone retail in other areas of Ballincollig.
10.204 No part of the urban area of Ballincollig has experienced flooding, however some northern parts of the town along the banks of the River Lee, located within the Ballincollig Regional Park, have been subject to recurring flood events due to the low-lying nature of the lands. 10.205 Parts of the Maglin Urban Expansion site are also at risk of flooding and this issue will need to be addressed as part of the preparation of the development proposals for these lands. There have been no unexpected flooding events within Ballincollig Town or on the Urban Expansion lands. Cork City Council has commissioned a Drainage Study for the Maglin Urban Expansion which will inform part of the overall infrastructure masterplan for the Ballincollig (Maglin) Urban Expansion Area. The initial findings of the Drainage Study indicate that the potential for flood risk in this area may be more pronounced than previously indicated when the lands were last surveyed as part of the Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study in 2010. 10.206 As part of the preparation of this Development Plan, Cork City Council has updated the indicative flood zone mapping for this area to take account of the information that has become available from the South Ballincollig Drainage Study. 10.207 The flood zones illustrated in this plan are based on an undefended scenario and do not take the presence of flood protection structures such as walls or embankments into account. This is to allow for the fact that there is still a residual risk of flooding behind the defences due to overtopping or breach, and that there may be no guarantee that the defences will be maintained in perpetuity. The indicative mapping is being made available as a resource. It has been prepared for use in applying the Guidelines for The Planning System and Flood Risk Management. 10.208 All development proposals within the Maglin / South Ballincollig Expansion Area shall be accompanied by individual site-specific flood risk assessments
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Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 I Volume 1
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