Re: Re: what’s going up in Cobh

I take your point THE_Chris but alas for any developer the capital expenditure on a Marina alone makes very little business sense. There was a time when structures could be put in place without too much additional costs, but these days the costs exclusive of the actual pontoons,piles etc. have rocketted… Namely the initial foreshore lease and it annual fees thereafter to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Rates will apply if the structure is attached to land… which may sound stupid as of course it does..or how due to get on to it… if you have to do any dredging to increase depths for boats.. then god help you… this opens up a veritible pandoras box on costs, licences etc., archeology…..
Now this should end up with the price you charge a guy to leave his boat there or per metre, but without shoreside development in conjunction, the berthing costs will be so high….. no one will use it.
Take the marina developement going ahead in Bray/Greystones http://www.greystonesmarina.com/staticpages/index.php?page=Development again you can see that the shoreside development vital to make the project viable.

The Cobh marina case dates back to 2003 when Cobh Town Council granted planning for a 120berth marina, a 87 bedroom hotel 126 apartments and 12 retail units. However this was overuled by to An Bord Pleanála.

In 2004 Ascon resubmitted a revised application. The hotel was removed from the plan. The plan now incorporated a 200 berth marina ,150 apartments, restaurant and bar a waterside promenade and three retail units. Cobh Town Council gave permission for the plan however another objection to An Bord Pleanála.

This was subject of a high court case due to dates etc. but in end it was sent back to ABP and we now have the outcome of this……..