kite

At the Cork City Council Docklands Policy Committees meeting of 13th November members considered the draft final report on the Docklands Economic Study. They agreed that a Special Meeting of Council will be held on November 27th, 2006, when Ms. Marion Chalmers, DTZ Pieda Consulting, will give a presentation on the Report. It was also agreed that the recommendations of the Report would be referred to the Council members for approval.

Consultants will be shortly appointed to advise on the preparation of the Business and Implementation Plan.

The Committee noted that the key issues were:
1. Relocation of SEVESO Sites
2. Remediation of Contaminated Land
3. Relocation of Port of Cork
4. Works to prevent tidal flooding.
5. Encouraging use of environmentally sustainable technologies.

The next step is to progress these issues with Government.

:rolleyes: The Docklands Policy Committee is proposing to travel to Sweden/Denmark and the U.K. for “study visits” In addition a visit is planned to Dublin.

😮 How many of us will be alive to see the Docklands redeveloped the way these amateurs are carrying on?

@browser wrote:

KIte,

Most people on this forum are generally pro-development but not at all costs. This is an excellent move by the City Council. Ballinlough House / Lovetts is a fantastically preserved historic building – anyone who was ever in it would surely agree it would have been a tragedy if it was knocked and turned into more bland suburban apartments (whether they be 2 storey or 30 storey). Just because a developer proposes something doesn’t mean we should all back it unquestioningly. I live in the Douglas area (not near Lovetts) and I do not have a problem with most development proposals nor would I object to a high rise building in Douglas if appropriately located. This is not a NIMBY issue.

Browser, I was somewhat playing devils advocate in relation to Lovett’s.
I am glad to see that it is now proposed by CCC to include this building on the list of protected buildings in Cork, BUT it was almost (and still could be) lost forever due to the woefully weak (and some might suggest corrupt) City Development Plan 2004-2009, a plan that our partying councillors nodded through without a thought, after all the 2005 city of culture party was looming so I guess they had more important things on their minds?:rolleyes:
On the matter of nimby’s, I live in Douglas, my parents live in Wilton and we, along with everyone else in the city can state “I am not a nimby, BUT!!., the lovely Lovett’s, the lovely Blackrock Castle etc, etc. This is just not good enough; our heritage should be protected in our CDP and areas ideally suited to high rise i.e. the Docklands identified in a water tight plan with little exceptions.
Just look at he way the 2 billion jewel in the crown Docklands was handled by CCC, instead of joined up proper planning we have CPO’s and have “discovered” SEVESO (dangerous) sites 7 years later.
😮 Do we as a city have a hope under the present Management and Councillors??

😡 Be careful when you open your eyes while in bed with the curtains pulled…you may be looking at one of the proposed protected views in variation 3 of the City Development Plan. Soon any development over the height of a dog box will be banned!!
What a shower of muppets?:o

http://www.corkcorp.ie/ourservices/planning/pdf/variations/proposed_variation_no3.pdf

It finally reared its ugly head…Seveso 2 sites i.e. sites in Cork under the COMAH (contaminated and dangerous land) Directive were brought up at the ABP oral hearing into the CPO of the Showground’s site yesterday.
Hopefully this is not a case of Docklands redevelopment 2000-06 RIP ?

Eoin English covers the story in today’s IE

“Safety issue may swing Docklands battle”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=18913-qqqx=1.asp

😡 It looks almost certain that Lidl are in trouble with their proposal to locate in Churchfield.
Intense lobbying on behalf of a major food giant in Ireland (Cork) has it seems “paid” off in that tonight’s Planning Committee meeting in City Hall saw a majority of Councillors vote against the rezoning needed.
If the vote is put before a full CCC meeting next Monday night ???? :rolleyes:

The rezoning of land in Churchfield to allow the LIDL Supermarket open in the area is to be discussed again at City Council Committee level on Monday 20th Nov.
Some weeks ago it seemed certain that the numbers in favour of rezoning would carry the day but intense lobbying by a major food giant opposed to LIDL has swung a significant number of councillors.;)
City Management are most likely to defer a vote by the full council at the meeting of Nov. 27th if the required numbers are not available to them rather than risk yet another defeat, and may have to extend the decision due date beyond 22nd December.

Eoin English’s report in today’s Irish Examiner regarding the CCC attempt to CPO the Showgrounds site:

A MASSIVE public park with Cork’s Pairc Ui Chaoimh at its heart will help kickstart the multi-billion regeneration of the city’s docklands, an oral hearing heard yesterday.
Senior city council officials said it was vital that an ambitious compulsory purchase order (CPO) is confirmed for five separate sites; totaling 10 hectares — the largest of which is the key Showgrounds site — to drive the flagship Marina park project forward.
Bord Pleanila inspector, Michael Ward, heard detailed evidence from council officials yesterday on why they have issued what is the first CPO in the €2 billon docklands redevelopment strategy.
The CPO is being vigorously contested by the Munster Agricultural Society (MAS), which leases the: 8.7 hectare Showgrounds site from the council, and CAB Motors.
Pat Ledwidge, the director of the city’s docklands directorate, said council attempts to acquire the lands by agreement had failed.
The current use of the Showgrounds land does not adhere to its public open space zoning and the council is best placed to ensure that the lands are developed in accordance with the 2004 city development plan, he said.
“The Munster Agricultural Society, nor other occupiers, have the resources or the inclination, to develop this land,” he said.
Developing the park would act as a catalyst to encourage private developers to invest in the docklands regeneration, he said.
Several neighbouring Docklands land-banks closer to the city have already been acquired by developers like McCarthy Developments and Howard Holdings.
Other landowners are poised to embark on development projects that will transform the area into a new urban quarter almost size of the city centre.
Senior council planner, Ann Bogan, said developing the park near Pairc Ui Chaoimh was vital to provide the estimated 15,000 people who will live in the regenerated docklands, and the 23.000 people who will work there, a quality public open space.
Junior counsel Pearse Sreenan, representing the council, said the Munster Agricultural Society had fragrantly breached the terms of its lease of the Showgrounds site.
He produced aerial photographs which showed a portion of its show jumping enclosure had been used as a temporary car storage site by National Vehicle Distribution, and another small section had been used by an unauthorized spray painting Operation, which has now ceased.
But David Holland SC, representing the Munster Agricultural Society, accused the council of frustrating his efforts to secure documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) relating to discussions it may have had with stakeholders in the docklands region.
“Information is coming to us on the Cork grapevine,” he said.
He produced documents secured under FOI which show that the secretary of Cork County Board, Frank Murphy, was in correspondence in 2004 with city manager Joe Gavin about GAA plans to build a hotel and a car park on the Showgrounds site as part of a possible Pairc Ui Chaoimh revamp.
This is despite assertions by the council yesterday that no discussions about the stadium revamp had taken place and that zoning of the Showgrounds site would have a presumption against development.
Mr Holland said it was impossible for him to properly question council witnesses without access to all relevant documents.
But hearing chairman, Mr Ward, refused his request to direct the council to produce such documents.
There were several sharp exchanges between both men as Mr Holland accused Mr Ward of being too rigid.
But Mr Ward insisted that he wanted the hearing to proceed and wanted to ensure the council officials presented all their evidence yesterday.
He said Mr Holland would have ample time to question witnesses today.
Meanwhile, solicitor Kevin Nagle, representing Timothy (Ted) O’Keeffe, will also attempt today to contest moves by the council to acquire three acres of land behind the Lee Rowing Club where cattle graze as part of the CPO).
Mr Nagle claimed his client had not been properly informed about the issuing of the CPO and had therefore not been able to object before the deadline.
He tried a number of times yesterday to raise his concerns but Mr Ward said he would hear his arguments today.
Mr Nagle claimed yesterday that Howard Holdings had agreed verbally with him to buy the site for €10 million in April.
But the company pulled out of the deal shortly before the CPO issued, he said.
The hearing heard that Mr Nagle has rejected an offer from the council of €90,000 per acre to buy out any interest his client may have in the site.
The hearing continues today.

@Praxiteles wrote:

No. It is gone over to Irish Planning Matters.

https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=5495

😀 Thanks Praxiteles, had trouble finding that without the link.

😀 News for a SLOW Sunday

CORK CITY COUNCIL’S ROADS & TRANSPORTATION FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE AT A MEETING HELD IN CITY HALL. CORK ON 6th November. 2006 called for funding for the following;

Kinsale Road Interchange:
Requested a grant of €2m towards this work in 2007. This junction carries in the order of 80,000^vehicles per day and is the main access route to Cork Airport. The new interchange has dramatically improved the situation at this junction.

Blackpool By-Pass
Work is virtually completed on this scheme; we are requesting funds in the order of €1.5m in 2007 to fund the remainder of this work.

Jack Lynch Tunnel Maintenance
Our requirements to maintain the Jack Lynch Tunnel in the year 2007 are expected to be in the order of €2m.

South Ring Road – Maintenance
The maintenance of the South Ring Road from Bandon Road to the Jack Lynch Tunnel is costing in the order of €100,000 per annum. A grant of €100.000 in 2007 is requested to cover this.

Quay Walls
The condition of some of the principal quay walls in Cork City gives rise for concern. We have forwarded a report on the state of the quay walls to both the Department of the Environment and the National Roads Authority requesting funds.
The principal quay walls on National Routes that need attention are
Lower Glanmire Road
Lancaster Quay
A grant of €1m from the NRA towards remedial works on the Lower Glanmire Road and Lancaster Quay walls is requested.
It is now opportune to commence work on the rehabilitation of Lancaster Quay Wall as a private developer is at present constructing a new hotel/apartment block in the area.

Sarsfield Road/Bandon Road Interchanges
With the recent completion of the Kinsale Road Interchange, it is now becoming critical that work commences on the remaining Interchanges on the South Ring Road.
These are the Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road Interchanges. At the present time, the Kinsale Road Interchange is coping very well with traffic numbers, but there is still congestion on Sarsfield Road and Bandon Road, to complete the grade separation at these areas must be a priority. We are requesting a grant of €9m in 2007 to cover this work.

Maior Future Roadworks:
Cork City Council has a number of Future Road Schemes which it is very anxious to begin. Among these are:

Northern Ring Road
Work on the Feasibility Study for the Northern Ring Road is underway. We hope to complete this work in 2007 and select a final route for the North Ring Road. We have recently appointed a Consultant to undertake this work. We are requesting a grant of €1.5m in 2007 to cover this work.

Inner Link Road – Blackpool By-Pass to the N22
It is hoped to undertake a design of this Link between Blackpool By-Pass and the N22 at Western Road in 2007. We are requesting a grant of €200.000 to undertake this work.

GREEN ROUTES-BUS PRIORITY
Cork City Council has completed work on the 5 Green Routes within the city. It is hoped to continue work in 2007 on the Green Routes for Knocknaheeny, Farranree, Carrigaline and Ballincollig. We are requesting €10 million in 2007 from Department of Transport towards this work.

RENEWAL CITY CENTRE STREETS
Grand Parade
Cork City Council commenced work on the Street Renewal Scheme at Grand Parade in January 2006. The total estimated cost of the scheme is in the order of €8 million. We are requesting €3 million in 2007 from the Co-Funded Grant to continue this

Im not sure if this is the appropriate forum to announce the death of CJH’s close friend and architect Sam Stephenson RIP.
The webmaster might oblige by moving this post if a more appropriate forum is available