Reply To: Look at de state of Cork, like!

Yeah Pana, that CIE Porta-cabin is only temporary (thank God!) and there was no planning permission required, it came as an incentive during works on Patrick’s Street – which is due to be entirely complete by the end of this week. Final bricks being laid outside Penneys (itself undergoing refurbishment and extension).

As for taxis, I myself, along with all other traffic except for buses and emergency vehicles, think they should be banned for accessing Patrick’s Street and shifted back to Academy Street or kept down at Parnell Place next to the bus station. For a brief time, taxi ranks were shifted to Academy Street, but local vendors and the taxi-drivers themselves kicked up claiming the arrangement was losing them business. This is a fecious argument, if all taxis were legally required to have their main ranks at Parnell Place or Academy Street, the public, if they wanted the service, would have to walk to these streets. The problem with the former arrangement was poor planning, poor public knowledge, and quite frankly, a stubborn reluctance by plate holders (taxi-drivers). New by-laws, however are in the planning at CCC.

And Torquemada, South Mall and Parnell Place are due a new layer of tarmac, but I can’t confirm dates yet. Already, the Western Road, Washington Street West, South Main Street, Grand Parade, Sheare’s Street, the Mardyke, Horgan’s Quay and Water Street have or are receiving new surfaces. The idea is to have all city arteries up to scratch before 2005. More streets, like
Washington Street, North Mall and the remainder of the Western Road are in line for a refurbishment.

Leesider, as for the 19-storey Water Street development, the decision date for planning was due on the 21st of July 2004, but has been pushed back until September. From what I hear, even the sceptics are having a tough time catching the development out – the planning application is pretty well covered. However, this doesn’t mean exclusion of the possibility for a negative outcome, nor the fact that Further Info will be requested, nor the fact the outcome could be brought to ABP. I hope planning is granted and third parties won’t bring it to Appeal, it really is a top-notch project. Fingers crossed!