Cork family refused planning for bike storage bin as it sets 'undesirable precedent'
Family Much Cycles As In City As The One Emissions To Car Man's Minimise Possible Cork
A man whose one-car family cycles as much as possible to minimise emissions in a city that aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 has been refused planning for a bike storage bin in front of his house — with planners saying it could set an “undesirable precedent” for similar development in the area.
Denis O’Regan, who lives with his wife and three young daughters in Ballintemple, on the southside of Cork city, was also told that the structure “constitutes visual clutter” and “represents a disorderly form of development”.
He is now considering an appeal to An Bórd Pleanála.
“Bikes have got bigger and more expensive with electric cargo bikes now a regular sight in Cork city. Unfortunately, planning policy has not kept pace with the people who are committed to making a change,” he said.
The council confirmed that it refused permission for retention of the unauthorised structure.
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But a spokesperson said: “There is now an appeal period during which the applicant may appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála. The council does not comment on decisions during this time. Details of the application, including the planner’s report, are available to view on the council website.”
The decision comes as the Green Party pushes at national level for a new law to exempt bike storage units from planning permission within certain limits.
It follows a planning decision in Dublin last year that required the owner of a house in an architectural conservation area in Clontarf to remove a bike storage unit from their front garden as it did not have planning permission.
However, the exemption, which is due to become law later this year, comes too late for Mr O’Regan and his family.
He said they make every effort to either walk or cycle to minimise the use of their family car, they have invested in an electric cargo bike, upgraded the BER energy rating of their home, and installed solar panels.
The bike storage unit was erected in front of their home in October 2020. It was built by Benchspace — the same people who build the parklets which the city council has installed across the city.
It is bolted to the ground and stores five bikes, a few scooters, and four wheelie bins.
But on foot of a single complaint, Mr O’Regan was served with a planning enforcement notice earlier this year, and in July, he applied for planning retention for the structure. He argued the following:
- a narrow path to the side of their home makes it impossible to store adult bikes and wheelie bins in the back garden;
- the unit is small and improves the amenity of the front of house by concealing bikes and waste bins;
- the legally permitted height of a fence is 2m along the side boundary, and the bike box is lower than that;
- its blackened larch cladding is in keeping with the dark render used on the side extension of their house;
- and it has a sedum green flat roof which helps to reduce rainwater run-off and improve biodiversity.
However, planners refused to grant retention. They said having regard to the pattern of development in the area, and given the unit's design, scale, and location to the front of the dwelling, it “constitutes visual clutter and represents a disorderly form of development which would have a negative visual impact on the character of the area”.
“The development would also set an undesirable precedent for similar future developments in the area and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
Mr O’Regan said he would have been happy to 'green wall' his bike storage unit on the neighbouring side or install a fence or hedging to screen the structure if requested by the planners.
“There are a lot of words floating around about being carbon neutral, about 15-minute cities, and we have been told that we will have to make hard choices,” he said.
“But the policies just haven’t kept pace with the people. So it’s all just words and tokenism really and I feel like a soft target at the moment.”
Green Party city councillor Dan Boyle said he was disappointed at the planning decision.
“These structures should be seen as a normal part of the infrastructure of private homes,” he said.
“It’s my view that planners should have taken into consideration the direction of travel of the planning laws. I am confident that the planning amendment exempting these from planning will be law within a few months.”