Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde with Fearghal Reidy, Director of Services, and Ann Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, at the launch the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028. Photo: Darragh Kane

Plan to help shape the city

Thousands of submissions from adults and children were received to help shape the future of Cork city.

This emerged as the Our City, Our Future - Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 was recently launched by the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde.

The plan, which came into effect this month, provides an overarching framework to help shape the transformation of the city over the next 6 years by supporting a predicted population increase of 50,000 and the creation of 30,000 job, City Hall has said.

Our City, Our Future was described by City Hall as an “exciting plan for Cork” and said sustainability, quality of life, social inclusion, and climate resilience at the plan’s core.

1,800 submissions were received during the public consultation phases of Our City, Our Future - Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, as well as the creative submissions of over 1,000 children and young people in Cork city who took part in the innovative consultation process called Freedom of the City, organised in 2021 by the Glucksman Gallery in partnership with Cork City Council and UCC’s Centre for Planning Education and Research.

Primary and secondary school students were invited to explore creative approaches to civic life and express their ideas for a healthier, greener and more playful city, which formed a formal submission to the plan.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde said: “The process of making a development plan was set up in such a way to make it truly the people’s plan, reflecting their vision for the city of the future.

“This plan sets out how we can achieve the ambitions of the people of Cork, providing homes and jobs, making it a greener, more sustainable and more vibrant place to live in. I thank all who participated in the public consultation process.”

She added: “It is the first of 3 city development plans that will provide a framework to achieving a 50-60% increase in population by 2040 so that Cork grows as a city of international scale, as designated in the National Planning Framework.

“It is centred around supporting housing, job creation, public realm renewal, transport, more amenity spaces and community services in existing built-up areas, using the internationally recognised 15 minute city model.”

Cork City Council’s Chief Executive, Ann Doherty said: “I’m delighted to see this plan launched, knowing that so much work has been put in by the planners at City Hall and the elected members, ensuring that all aspects of it were thoroughly reviewed to ensure a futureproofed, sustainable development of the city into the next six years and beyond.”

She continued: “Cork city is changing and growing, this is evident when you walk the streets of our city. How that change and growth are managed and received will seek to enhance quality of life for all those who live and work in Cork.

“It is against this backdrop that the City Development Plan 2022 – 2028 now must be seen.

“The plan does not stand alone but sits within a suite of strategic plans like the National Planning Framework, Project Ireland 2040, along with the significant capital expenditure set out in the National Development Plan, which recognises Cork’s status as an emerging international city of scale and a national driver of economic growth.”

To coincide with the enactment of the Cork City Development Plan, Cork City Council has also launched its official LinkedIn page.

The Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 can be viewed at

corkcitydevelopmentplan.ie.

Plan welcomed by Cork Chmaber's CEO

Cork Chamber welcomed the launch of the development plan saying it was a key step to creating a sustainable future for the city.

Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber said: “The launch and delivery of the Cork City Development Plan (CDP) comes at a pivotal time for our economy and society, as it will support our city region’s population, economic, and climate goals in accordance with Ireland 2040 and Cork’s recent designation to

“The timely delivery of key transport elements in Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), specifically Bus Connects, will be critical to meeting these goals. It is essential there is follow through on these commitments, which will require challenging decisions at local level.”

Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber. Photo: Clare Keogh Photo by ©

He continued: “Government must provide funding and structures to enable the delivery of the plan’s objectives and to support Cork’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. It is essential to ensure that this initiative is resourced and accelerated. Our city region has great opportunities to support these goals by utilising our brownfield sites and vacant buildings. However, the viability gap in apartment development must be bridged.”

Mr Healy added: “Key elements such as the 15 minute city, the delivery of CMATS, the regeneration of the South Docks and enhancing our natural environment are essential to creating better places to live, work and play and ultimately safeguarding Cork’s competitiveness and attractiveness to a global workforce and continued investment,” he continued.

“The implementation of these objectives will support Cork in positioning itself as an area of exemplary economic resilience as it will mobilise our metropolitan area to differentiate itself internationally through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” concluded Mr Healy.