Reply To: Down With An Taisce!!!

Originally posted by Diaspora
Water St was a well designed proposal, but you have said that at least part of the proposed site contains 18th century buildings. I haven’t seen the buildings so I can’t assess their merit, but in general 18th century buildings should be preserved.

I also feel that you are hitting An Taisce as an ‘easy target’

I agree that Cork needs development and that the docklands provide a perfect opportunity for Cork to build a sustainable urban quarter.

I feel that if the Cork docklands are to emerge as a real quality district you need to relase a lot of land quickly, the R&H Hall portfolio would give the scale necessary.

I’m sorry Diaspora, and I’m not trying to specifically pinch you the whole time, but can you not acknowledge a contradiction in your arguments?

-> The Cork Docklands should emerge as quality urban quarter – but yet, almost every docklands site earmarked has been opposed to by An Taisce. I appreciate the idea of refurbishment, my own interests have assessed this potential, but only a slight handful of existing structures are capable of limited conversion – as assessed by Arup, SDA O’Flynn and CCC City Engineers Office. This is a huge limit on ability to create any sort of urban quarter, let alone a quality one.

-> Much of the land is already available, for example, the Odlums Building on Kennedy Quay (1.2 hectares), 3 sites on Centre Park Road between 1.2 and 6.4 acres, Custom House Quay, Horgan’s Quay and Water Street. ALL facing opposition from An Taisce (though I can’t say that confidently for one site on CPR).

How are we to develop when An Taisce in the majority, object to everything we do? It’s like trying to drive down a grit road to a lavish palace but with a load of people linking arms across the road, refusing to let you by.

-> As for capital investment, believe you me, the first thing ANY investor looks at when deciding upon location is ‘What can I get out of it? And how much?’ – not education. In no way is it subservient. Education becomes a factor after the investor assesses his first 2 questions and then tries to find ways to utilise the location to maximise profitability. For example, if a developer wants to construct an office building, he first looks at the market – if the market or projected market environment is favourable, the developer then assesses the likelihood of his proposal being carried through – if it is low, he will move location to the next best alternative. Then and only then, may he assess factors like education – such as UCC – if the office building does get through, occupiers may seek employees of a particular standard, the developer always has an angle then pitching the quality of available education to make the location and development more attractive. If there is no education facilities, but market demand is still strong, the developer will still invest and import education skills required.