cork docklands

@bosco wrote:

That works wonders for our city doesn’t it? In the absence of having anything resembling adequate public transport in and out of the city centre, we build large business parks on the edge of the city and loads of apartments in the city centre. Instead of creating demand and justifying a decent public transport system to bring workers and shoppers from suburban centres of population into the city, we try to encourage people to live in city centre apartments and commute out to semi-rural business parks.

I think this is a bit wide of the mark.

A lot of people work & study in the city centre (a LOT), and if the docklands ever take off even more so; meaning there needs to be a lot of people living within walking distance of the city centre or people will be commuting in from Douglas/Rochestown/Passage/Glanmire into the city centre & docklands and adding greatly to the congestion. There desperately needs to be a significant (but balanced) residential element to the docklands.

@Leesider wrote:

Doesn’t the a lot of the docklands have to be raised anyway due to the effects of future tidal flooding?? Maybe this 1m skimming would work if it doesn’t have bad effects on the environment.

The Docklands Local Area Plan states:

Chapter 7: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGMENT
MATERIAL AMENDMENT MA17: FLOOD RISK
Amend the section of the plan relating to flood risk (7.26-7.28 /
ENV9) to take account of revised food policy for South Docks area:
Flood Risk
7.26 Flooding results from a combination of human activity and natural physical
conditions. There is mounting evidence that the global climate is changing as a result
of human activity, which will lead to an annual increase in sea level of between 4 –
6mm. Flood risk will therefore need to be considered at all stages of the land use
planning process and managed in an environmentally sensitive way.
7.27 A flexible approach is needed to take account of flood risk to ensure that
appropriate measures are taken wherever the need arises. When considering
development in flood risk areas regard should be had to both the “Precautionary
Principle” and “Sequential testing”. Those proposing developments in areas where
there is a flood risk should:
7.28 Provide an assessment of whether the proposed development is likely to be
affected by flooding and whether it will increase flood risk elsewhere and of the
measures proposed to deal with these effects and risks. Satisfy the planning authority
that any flood risk rising from the proposal will be successfully managed with the
minimum environmental effect, to ensure that the site can be developed and occupied
safely.
7.28A Guidance in relation to the flood risk management and protection measures
for the South Docks is outlined in the South Docks L.A.P. and Infrastructure Strategy.
A detailed study of flood risk in the Lee Catchment is also being undertaken by
consultants for the O.P.W., in conjunction with Cork City and Cork County Councils
(Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assesment and Management Study). This Study will give
the definitive guidance on best practice for the assessment and management of flood
risk in the Lee Catchment, including Docklands. The guidance contained in the SDLAP
shall be reviewed in the context of the final Lee CFRAM Study.
Amend Policy ENV 9 be addition of following sentence:
Policy ENV 9 Flood Risk
Development will not normally be permitted unless appropriate flood protection and
mitigation measures can be put in place to ensure that the site can be safely
developed and occupied and flood risk as a result of the development is not increased
elsewhere. The City Council will require that key flood protection infrastructure be
developed on a phased basis within the South Docks. Flood protection measures as
outlined in the Infrastructure Strategy for South Docks include the raising of ground
levels with perimeter protection of the site.

Nope, that actually happened:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0519/cork.html?rss

From today’s examiner – it appears a PR firm is being hired to publicise the Docklands generation. Given the size of the development, I wouldn’t have thought “tens of thousands of euros” would exactly entice any big-name marketing firms!

03 July 2008

PR contract for docklands: Firm ‘chosen’

By Eoin English
CORK CITY COUNCIL is poised to award a lucrative contract to a PR firm to brand and market its multi-billion docklands regeneration project.

The council remained tightlipped last night on who has landed the contract or on how much it is worth.

The initial phase could be worth tens of thousands of euro to the successful public relations firm.

But the company could be working on the project, which will involve branding, marketing and advertising, for at least a decade as the council oversees the estimated €10 billion regeneration of the extensive docklands region as a new waterfront quarter.

The news emerged yesterday as the largest landowner of docklands real estate put the first phase of its ambitious €2bn development on public display in City Hall.

Origin Enterprises, a subsidiary of the IAWS milling group, owns 32 acres of docklands.

It is seeking planning permission initially for a two acre waterfront site on Kennedy Quay and Victoria Road.

The first phase of its Port Quarter project is valued at about €200 million.

It will have 165 large apartments, and 24,600sq m of offices, in buildings ranging from eight to 11 storeys tall, with basement parking, shops and a creche.

No building will be taller than IAWS’s existing grain silos — for example at the R&H Hall site — all of which are set for demolition.

The only building to be retained is the red-brick Odlums building, dating back to the 1890s, which will most likely be used for cultural purposes.

Origin describes Port Quarter as an 18 to 20-year plan and believes the first phase could be delivered in late 2010.

This planning application follows the lodging of plans by Howard Holdings in March for its €1bn Atlantic Quarter project further downstream in the docklands, near Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Now that redevelopment plans are rolling in, City Hall wants to hire public relations experts to advise how it should brand and market its vision for docklands.

Up to 50 firms pitched for the contract and they were shortlisted down to five.

Representatives of each of the shortlisters made presentations to a panel last Friday and it is understood that a firm has been chosen.

But city manager Joe Gavin has to sign off on the contract first — a process that is expected to take several weeks.

theres still no lead from the city council on what they propose to do about the Seveso sites – they’ll have to grab the issue by the horns sooner or later – probably later, when the PR firm is hired!

if that is true Cork politicans should hang their heads in shame!!! No point in blaming Dublin it is our politicans that are useless!!!!

No doubt they will just stay quiet like they did over the aiport! Martin won’t be heard from for a while.

@Pug wrote:

dont know how true it is but someone at work tells me the govt have announced that there wont be funding for the docklands bridge until at least 2010 – joke – not really a surprise though given the lack of fund for infrastructure from Dublin for cork in general – last bus at 11.30 is such a joke

The last bus in Dublin is also at 11:30, what’s wrong with that? In fact some Dublin Bus routes have their last
service at 11! Cork is not hard done by in that department

agreed, Cork does need a night link. However it is important to note that the night link in Dublin is a skeleton service and the buses are only outbound and some routes only have two services per night

@cgcsb wrote:

agreed, Cork does need a night link. However it is important to note that the night link in Dublin is a skeleton service and the buses are only outbound and some routes only have two services per night

its much more than a skeleton service to be honest, i lived up there and depended on it completely to get to Lucan after a night out – i’d be more than happy to start with 2 buses in cork say at 1am and 2am to all the major suburbs like douglas/carrigaline, wilton/bishopstown/ballincollig, glanmire and mayfield – you’d need more then for the bigger routes –

@Leesider wrote:

…

Read an article in the examiner recently where the guy was very worried about how the government is run by teachers and solicitors…….while not suggesting there is anything wrong with these professions we need more business people to be involved to get a good over all picture. Michael O’Leary was suggested as one guy that should be enlisted by the government to give his point of view. Makes sense but can’t see it happening!

The problem is that people with big business backgrounds, as well as planning and architectural backgrounds are simply not entering Irish politics. Teachers enter quite simply because they have such short hours and long holidays that they can easily become councillors and then make a jump to being a TD. Schools even hold their jobs open for them while they’re a sitting TD! Traditionally, (although this is rapidly decreasing) Farmers were also massively over-represented in Leinster House. Solicitors and barristers also have relatively large amounts of freedom to partake in political life compared to other professions as they’re usually self-employed, or working in small partnerships. They also tend to have a better understanding of the political system than most as they are engaged in law.

Business people need to put their money where their mouth is and stand!! If Michael O’Leary wants to be involved in government he should stand for election. There’s no point in standing on the sidelines and moaning. There’s no reason why he, or anyone else should or could be appointed to Government without winning an election. It would be just a ‘tad’ undemocratic.

I also reckon that more architects and planners need to consider standing for council, for the senate or for the dail. There may be people on these boards who ought to be considering standing in the local elections next time around!!

Perhaps one way forward would be to make some kind of legal provision where by employers were obliged to allow someone to work part-time or job share if they were entering political life. It’s very difficult to break into politics without a lot of free time on your hands. Although that is unlikely to ever happen as it would weaken the position of existing politicians…

We have quite an open and easily accessible political system, it’s about time that people other than teachers, solicitors, farmers and the odd accountant used it!