Former Munster rugby star, Billy Holland, has become involved in a planning row with his prospective neighbours over plans to build a new family home in a suburb of Cork City.
Appeals have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the decision of Cork City Council to grant planning permission to Mr Holland and his wife, Lanlih Keane, to construct a new, two-storey house at Rockcliffe Village, Blackrock Road, Cork.
They include one from the owner of nearby Rockcliffe House who is seeking to have An Bord Pleanála overturn the council’s decision.
In planning files on the case, Ruairí Walsh explained he was made aware at the time he was buying the property in 2012 that an adjacent site that was once part of Rockcliffe House, had been sold in 1997.
Mr Walsh claimed the sale of the adjacent site was subject to an agreement that a house could only ever be built in a far western corner and never in front of Rockcliffe House.
The appellant said there was also an agreement there would be extensive planting to ensure any house built on the site would be screened from the view of Rockcliffe House in order to protect its historic character and privacy.
He informed the planning authorities that he spoke to the owner of the site, Terry English, before buying Rockcliffe House and was assured that the agreement would be honoured.
Mr Walsh said Mr English had never developed the site despite twice securing planning permission to build a house in its western corner.
He pointed out that he had written a letter of support for Mr English’s most recent planning application in 2018 because he believed the site needed development as it had turned into “an overgrown wasteland".
Mr Walsh claimed Mr Holland introduced himself in 2022 as someone who was looking at buying the site after Mr English had put it up for sale.
He told the planning authorities that he outlined the details of the agreement to the former Munster player and explained it had been carried forward between himself and Mr English.
Mr Walsh said he informed Mr Holland that he would be happy to support any future planning development on the site as long as it was in the western corner.
The appellant said he also made it clear that he would object to any plans to develop in front of Rockville House.
“The next time I heard from Mr Holland he informed me he had purchased the site and was planning to build a new house directly in front of Rockville House. He told me that was his right and that the agreement between previous owners meant nothing”, said Mr Walsh.
In his objection, Mr Walsh said the proposed development would fundamentally change the look and feel of the front area of Rockville House.
He claimed it would negatively impact on his family’s privacy as well as the value of the property.
In a separate appeal, another resident of Rockville Village, David Ramseyer, claimed the proposed development would “severely impact” on his privacy and visual amenity as it would be “looming 9.5 metres” over his own property.
“I feel very uncomfortable to have such a large dwelling built so close to the front of my house,” said Mr Ramseyer.
He also stated he would have no objection if the proposed dwelling was relocated to another part of the site.
Consultants for Mr Holland and his wife said the proposed development was influenced by information available from previous planning applications on the site.
However, they acknowledged it was of a different nature to previously permitted schemes but said its character and position were in line with the relevant zoning objective of the site in terms of architectural character and visual impact.
They claimed its location just east of the centre of the site was “a logical response to the urban fabric” and would involve the least disturbance on existing vegetation and minimal removal of soil and other material.
Holland (39) played as a second row with Munster from 2007 until his retirement from professional rugby in 2021, while also gaining one cap for Ireland in 2016.
He is the third most capped Munster player in the province’s history with 247 appearances behind only Stephen Archer and Donncha O’Callaghan.
A ruling by An Bord Pleanála on the appeals is due in early March 2025.
