Look at de state of Cork, like!

@Radioactiveman wrote:

…Fleming are on site building a 125 rooom luxury Hotel with Penthouse suites, a raft of ‘lodges’ (aka houses for the obscenely wealthy), an extensive marina and a second – yes, a second 18-hole Golf Course. Why an island that small requires a second course we’ll never know.
Couldn’t an alternative use been found for this space? Scenic walkways, picnic spots? isn’t one Golf course enough to fill the hotel?

Being involved in the project myself, I must correct you – it is a nine hole golf course which is being developed, alongside the old course, and on open space – no destruction of the woodland is involved. The old road to the golfcourse has been realigned around the extension, and alot of effort is going into the landscaping, in order to complement the surrounds as much as possible. As for the hotel, it being contained in the vicinity of the clubhouse, and is of tasteful design. I do admit it is a pity that such scale of development is taking place, in particular the extent of the housing project, i’m surprised this one passed through the planning process, it really shows the lack of policy as regards public amenity space within the council. I do think the marina is a good idea, however im not sure what the story will be as regards access, i can find out, or whether it will even make it through the planning process.

As for the hotel, will post some pictures up soon, progress is come along nicely, most of the concrete is being poured at the moment. No operator yet, expect an opening of april/may next year.

Fleming Construction’s 5-Star Fota Island Hotel. Designed by Hogan & Associates.

Quite frankly, I’ve no problem with the principle of this development. Indeed, as the metropolitan and commuter belt areas of the city continues to expand at such pace, areas like Fota Island will make valuable recreational and economic contributions – you can’t blame someone for taking advantage of an opportunity – I didn’t see the foresight of Cork County Council and CCC, nor the OPW come into play when these lands came up for sale. For years I used to enjoy the Old Head of Kinsale (many a weekend was spent ab-seiling down by the lighthouse) – and its ‘exclusive designation’ I believe was unwarranted – its a long and complicated topic – but Fota differs in that this estate has historically be restictive in some domain or the other, so ‘exclusivity’ in this respect is not such a big issue I believe; nonetheless the island whole would have made a wonderful national park or something along those lines.

That aside, the hotel, golf courses and marina are pretty favourable. Golf is one of the bigger sporting contributors to this country and its economy – the development will could become a valuable contributor to the area over the coming years. My problem with this development is the extent of the lodgings – which, like many Fleming Construction residential developments are left somewhat wanting in the design department (though exception’s like Trinity Court – love it or loath it – do exist). That’s no particular dig at Hogan & Associates either – they seem to produce generally good standards of design given the freedom and budget to do so. I appreciate profit maximisation and all but even the most money-lusting businessperson knows sometimes you have to take your face out of the trough. There’s opportunism and then there’s riding an opportunity until its burnt – you have to know when to get off the ride. I just think the density of lodgings at Fota is excessive and their design does not befit the area.

The Lodges: like every other repetitive housing estate throughout the country.

By the way, theblimp, that movie was ‘Falling Down’ was it not? 😉

It the water street devolpment gets the go-ahead?

Fleming Construction are maximising their investment – I would not expect them to do otherwise.
My argument is that their investment could be maximised without the need to resort to the hugely unimaginitive golf course idea.
Seeing as there is already one golf course on the island, the space for the 9-hole course (thanks for the correction phatman) could have been given over for public walkways, riding trails, open festival space, parklands, equestrian centre, etc. By the way phatman, I dont think i ever suggested that woodland was being destroyed for the purposes of a golf course. That being said, the majority of courses- most especially Fota island looks like the most sterile form of “natural environment” you can come across.

I’d agree with Lexington, the “Lodges” (aka housing estate) looks pretty down market for the setting. An open admittance that its catering for the pseudo-rich as opposed to the actual rich perhaps 🙂
Of course, I would have preferred had the whole estate had been secured for public use. That being said, we should be grateful that Fota Wildlife park, fota House and the Arboretum are public property and have the best public transport system on the island 🙂 Fleming can’t take that away from us 🙂

To wrap this wrambling text up…. Fleming are free to maximise their investment within limits but they could have come up with something a little more imaginative than phatman and his golf course idea (sorry PH). Surely this would have added to the value of the houses, would prove more of an attraction to the hotel and cover Fleming’s costs very adequately.

Ralph Riegel reports in todays Irish Independent that:
PROPOSALS for a multi-million-euro hotel are to come before An Bord Pleanala after the developer confirmed he will challenge the refusal of a town council to sanction the project.

The €50m-plus hotel and luxury housing project, proposed by the Lawton family, for Fermoy in north Cork has been hailed by its supporters as “an economic godsend” for the town.
However, Fermoy Town Council rejected the project after a concerted campaign of local opposition to it.
Opponents claimed the scale of the project and the density of luxury homes involved in its residential element were too great for the proposed location adjacent to Fermoy’s riverside town park. Their main complaints centred on the height of the hotel complex, the inclusion of 73 luxury town houses beside the complex, the visual impact on the area and the possibility of traffic congestion.
The venture – by Lawton Developments – included a four-storey hotel with a 100-bedroom plus capacity coupled with 73 luxury town houses in an adjacent five acre site.
Now, the developers confirmed they are to appeal the rejection – warning that they were “very, very disappointed” by the council’s decision.
Fermoy Enterprise Board (FEB) Chairman, Cllr Michael Hanley, admitted he felt the project’s rejection was like “a body-blow for the town”.

Ralph Riegel- Irish Independent

@who_me wrote:

I don’t know if this has been mentioned previously, but there seems to be an initiative now running to promote Cork city centre (presumably to counter increased competition from Mahon Point and the like). There are ‘Cork City Centre’ posters in many shop windows, and seem to be linked to the cometocork.com website.

I’m not sure how necessary the move is, the city centre doesn’t appear to be struggling, and the Academy St. and Cornmaket St. developments are only going to improve that, but the website is nicely done. Nice Cork (city centre obviously) map on it too.

Speaking of maps, Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk) seems to have decent quality satellite images of Cork city now, handy if you’re trying to visualise a site. I believe there’s also a software download version which works quicker.

what’s the status with the cornmarket developemnt… has work actually started?

Speaking of excavation works. A few weeks back i was walking by the Grand parade plaza site on South main street and I though I saw activity on the site. When I peeped in it was though the basement foundations (???) were completely flooded. i read a media report there about a month ago that said a crane would be erected and all by now but nothing seems to be happening. The activity i saw I thought was John paul construction finally demolioshing the hotel but alas i was wrong. ??? This site has been idle for well over a year – except for excavation works.

I hope Rockfell are right about Cornmarket street and they dont end up like the above site. As far as I know, I read somewhere, that they had a lot of surveyance already out of the way and investigations shouldnt take more than a month.

@who_me wrote:

Any ideas of what’s in store for the old warehouse on Fr. Matthew’s Quay? I presume it’s going to be more or less completely demolished – I can’t see how it could easily be adapted.

It’s actually being revamped to some extent – well the facade at least, the interior is to be gutted. Tom McCarthy is redeveloping the former mill as a new residential, office, bar and restaurant facility (extended from his Jacobs on the Mall premises) with 30 car-parking spaces to the rear over 3 levels. The project is designed by Murray O’Laoire and currently under construction by O’Flynns of Banteer,

Any news on Greg Coughlan’s 50ft high bronze sculpture for Lapp’s Quay? I presumed it was just a matter of slotting it into place once the appeal to ABP was dealt with. It was due to be unveiled in April 😡