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@A-ha wrote:
Alot of talk over the supposed new M&S in Wilton. Will they close the deal or not is being questioned everywhere. However, another large retailer is said to be interested in the old Roches Stores unit…. but who could they be? Anyone know more information?
Oh and if it’s Dunnes…. don’t even bother telling me, thats the one thing I don’t wanna know!
I was of the understanding that M&S had little hope of ever getting the Wilton store as past posts on this thread (Lex as I remember?) mentioned plans for a “Landmark†building on the site next to the Wilton Roundabout, redevelopment of the existing RS into a mixed use 6 storey retail / residential units and a multi storey car park next to the Wilton Church
😮 SMC’s proposal for a six-storey private hospital near Dunnes Stores in Bishopstown has been refused by planners.
Planners refused permission because the project was too large and out of scale with the area.University Collage Cork’s prominence as one of the major players in development in the city may be under pressure if the contents of an open letter sent to staff members last week prove true. An extract from the 13 page letter on the above matter goes as follows;
The Finance Committee of the GB reported recently that the ‘unfunded’ capital deficit was 41.16 million euro. The same Finance Committee reported that UCC is likely to exceed its overdraft facility of 9 million euro on the current budget. UCC reported officially to the HEA that our current debts exceed 100 million euro. Within that 100 million, it is claimed that the 10.6 million borrowed for the Medical Building is ‘funded’, because UCC expects [in the future] to earn money from economic fee-paying students in medicine that will help pay off the debt.
Likewise, for approximately 60 million of the total debt, it is hoped that specified future earnings will help discharged the debts. None of these expectations of future possible income-streams changes the reality that:
(a) UCC is in debt to the tune of approximately 100 million euro;
(b) UCC currently pays a significant amount of its current income on interests charges;
(c) these debts will be passed on to the next generation and will seriously hinder developments because our future earnings are already committed to paying off debts incurred during your presidency. Can you confirm what UCC pays annually in interest charges on its total debts?
These figures vary from month to month, but the unfunded capital deficit has increased every year since you came into office as President. We now seem to have reached a crisis with the proposed IT Building. Can you confirm, or can you arrange for any of your officials to confirm, that the HEA and/or the Department of Education and Science has agreed to fund the costs [or some of the costs] of this building? If not, is UCC about to add an extra 60 million euro to its ‘unfunded’ capital deficit? 😮@Paul Clerkin wrote:
Thats one mofougly building!
This where the law is wrong – it shouldnt matter that he took down one and replaced it – it should be seen as the same ongoing offence.The law or those running the city….Joe Gavin, will Galway take him back,,PLEASE? (Dublin rejected this man):o
😡 A relatively small development consisting of a new 3 storey building containing 6 no. 2 bedroom duplex apartments, 1 no. 2 bedroom apartment and 3 no. 1 bedroom apartments with associated open space, bin store enclosure, car parking, site & ancillary works at Looney’s Cross Wilton has been refused by CCC, one of the reasons being devaluing property in the area.
The way the anti apartment brigade in Wilton are carrying on (supported by some councilors) it’s a wonder anything is getting built out there.
Shame on CCC for bowing to the CSD group and ill informed Councillors.Poor Mr.Mansfield back in the news again this evening.
RTE reports that his private jet was borrowed without his knowledge and hired to another who then flew to Belgium to pick up 10 million euro worth of heroin.
When you luck is out!!@Praxiteles wrote:
Clearly, J. Gavin’s megalomaniac bid to rival the Bayeux Tapestery!!
Plus, other then the President who was the patron, Cork 2005 had 16 members of the Board, 32 staff, 6 manning the information centre, 11 consultants, and 9 interns, 74 in total.
@Praxiteles wrote:
And take a look at this from this morning’s Irish Independent:
Council to unravel knitted-map saga
A KNITTED map of Cork, which cost a staggering €259,000 to produce for the city’s Capital of Culture year, may have to be sold to avoid running up massive storage bills.
Cork City Council is to hold a special debate on the 2005 EU Capital of Culture programme, which included the commissioning of the knitted map, a project slated by some as a breathtaking waste of money.
The map is currently in storage.
While the overall programme has been hailed as a tremendous success by city manager Joe Gavin, having generated tourism revenues of more than €90m, there is increasing controversy about the knitted map.
Even the whereabouts of the map is the focus of controversy, with councillors demanding to know precisely where it is stored and how much it is costing.
The project – which was criticised even before the Cork 2005 programme commenced – emerged as one of the single most expensive items during the EU Capital of Culture celebration.
Three years ago, when the knitted map venture was first unveiled amid fanfare by Cork 2005 officials, some presumed the proposal was only a hoax.
But it proceeded to the funding stage. However, the knitted map, which was finally produced, was so large that it was regarded as unsuitable for display in any major public venue.
Privately, sources within the council have admitted that any approach to sell the map would be greeted “with relief”.
We are now well after 1 April!!!
😮 And to add to Cork’s embarrassment the map will go on show in Philadelphia USA for a number of months. It is then expected to tour parts of America’s east coast before returning to a permanent home in Cork. Thankfully the Kinsale Road landfill site is not yet at full capacity!
🙂 Cork City Manager declares Cork 2005 a huge sucess.
Cork City Manager reported to Council members tonight on the 2005 year of CultureRe: European Capital of Culture 2005
Economic AssessmentWe commissioned Dr. Moloney of University College Cork to carry out an economic assessment of the contribution of tourism and conference business to Cork City and its hinterland in respect of the years 2003, 2005 and 2006.
The report for 2003 was published in 2004 and gave a baseline against which we can measure the economic success of ‘Cork 2005Visitor Numbers:
The preliminary figures for 2005 are now to hand. They indicate that visitor numbers in 2005 were 1,137,000 higher than in 2003. In 2003 the total of all visitors including overseas and domestic amounted to 3,006,000. This number had increased to 4,243,000 for the year 2005 which represents an increase of 38%Revenue Generated:
The direct financial contribution from visitors in 2003 was €324m. In 2005 this amounted to €414m an increase of €90m representing a 28% increase.
Within these overall figures the report indicates that same day visitors in 2003 numbered 2,574,000 and generated €122m. In 2005 tnere were 3,751,000 same day visitors generating €158m.National Comparison:
On the national level total visitor numbers in 2005 including domestic trips were 7% higher than in 2003. Revenue earnings in 2005 were 7.5% higher than in 2003.
The respective figures for Cork City and its hinterland at 38% and 28% greatly exceed the national figures and can for the most part be attributed to the successful promotion of Cork 2005.
It is clear from the returns that ‘Cork 2005’ was an outstanding economic success and greatly exceeded what we might have reasonably expected. Our total revenue investment in Cork 2005 was €17m. The extra €90m earned in 2005 was the immediate economic return but ‘Cork 2005’ has laid foundations for continuing benefits into the future. We must build on these foundations. We now have a physically more attractive centre city with the renewal of St. Patrick Street, Oliver Plunkett Street and Grand Parade. We have added to our cultural infrastructure with the provision of the new Glucksman Gallery, the extension to the Cork Museum, the Lifetime Lab, the new Civic Archives, the Astronomy Centre at Blackrock Castle and the new School of Music. Several new hotels have been built and plans are well advanced for a major increase in the volume and range of retail provision in the city.
Many of the cultural initiatives started in 2005 are continuing – the Frank O’Connor Short Story Prize, the Ceili Mor, the Ocean to City boat race, the Lee Swim and Opera 2005.A marketing partnership has been established to promote tourism and conference business and plans for a large indoor events centre are being actively pursued. A physically attractive city, good cultural infrastructure, good retail provision and good access are essential ingredients for the development of urban tourism.
I would like to thank the members and staff of Cork City Council, the Board and staff of Cork 2005, the Arts Community, the Business Community and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism for their imput in making Cork 2005 such a great success.
A report has been commissioned on the impact of Cork 2005 on art and culture in the city from Dr. Benadette Quinn of Dublin Institute of Technology. This report and the full economic report from Dr. Moloney will be available by November.
J. GAVIN CITY MANAGER 25th September 2006
@THE_Chris wrote:
Idiots. Absolute, complete, idiots.
1) Putting a P&R facility at the main intersection between the N8 and N25. The traffic is bad there already. With this, the P&R, the 700 houses to be built on the green space in the left of the picture, the NORTH RING ROAD and we have a disaster waiting to happen.
2) Long term plans to freeflow that roundabout. How the hell are they going to put slips in with a dirty great facility there?
I really wonder sometimes what these people are smoking.
A far better thing would be to buy part of the car storage plant near the Glanmire roundabout. Traffic not so bad, its not built at a bloody BOTTLENECK and the carpark facility is almost there already. Solving the railway line crossing wouldnt be too bad either.
Some idiots in the planning office though, jeez.
I agree with your views on this P&R The_Chris.
Who owns the land for the P&R?😡 ABP have kicked to touch on the Water Street (Wendera ??) development yet again.
This whole planning application is turning into a complete farce.
If one of the Cork mafia had lodged those plans would the delay be as drawn out?:oLane Homes have applied to Cork City Council to demolish the former Lovett’s Restaurant in Douglas and propose to construct 10 one bed, 23 two bed apartments over 2, 3, and 4 storeys.
@malec wrote:
Also can anyone tell me where this one will be? I can’t remember, one of the nicer ones aswell I think.
That is Frinailla’s Blackpool / Watercourse Rd development, not surprising you cant remember, most of Frinailla’s designs look like they were drawn on a beer mat:o …:cool: The Good Shepard, Sundays Well being the exception
@ISI wrote:
The final picture is of the Jacob’s Mill roof. Not only is it completely out of preportion with respect to the surrounding buildings, it also seems to be made from a type of corrugated sheeting. The stuff normally associated with agricultural outbuildings and light industrial units. It’s amazing how the developer got away with this. Corrugated neck, I guess.
😮 Do CCC have ANY planning enforcement officers,or do development fees rule planning in Cork?
Whoever signed the permission on this development should be fired without a pension and imprisoned. Fu*^ing mafia running the city!!:mad:🙁 After following the great “Dublin historic paving disbelief†thread, I feel it is sad that the historic paving in Cork is suffering a similar fate, replacing the paving outside Cork City Hall with Patrick Street leftovers instead of affecting a proper repair to what was there is sad.
@Dieter wrote:
I think this is one site where we dont need a commercial investment. Let the public sector put their hands in their pockets and achieve something which is driven purely by civic pride.
🙂 Absolutely right Dieter.
:rolleyes: CCC would be VERY slow to CPO this site or impose the conditions of the Derelict Site Act. with councilors fighting the POC corner and being members of the Port Board.
However if they did their homework they would realize that the POC can force the Cork Bonded Warehouses Co. (the tenants) to restore the building at no cost to the city or the POC under the dilapidation schedule contained in the lease.
It really is a bit “rich†for the POC to come into the City Council Chamber with their begging bowl to get the taxpayer to foot their move to the lower harbour when they allow a jewel of our city to fall into the state of the Custom House Quay site.:mad: 😡@jdivision wrote:
…Given the state of the building, it’s imperative that some form of redevelopment happens now. I would also recommend that somebody write to the building control officer about the state of the buildings or alternatively ring a councillor. Living in Dublin now I wouldn’t have an impact if I did either.
I for one will take your advice and write to the building control officer as in my opinion this is one of the finest buildings in the city, the outside is great but the interior is truly incredible.
Im not sure if CCC will take any notice of the letter as they are aware of the state of the bonded warehouses for years + they are supposed to be obliged not to let any building or site to fall into a state of dereliction under the Derelict Site Act. CCC are breaking the law by allowing this building to fall into a state of near collapse.:mad: 😮@jungle wrote:
And in fact, they are one of the few buildings in the docklands worth retaining – perhaps Odlums and a few individual buildings on Victoria Rd as well – so it makes it all the more important that they aren’t allowed to decay.
Like jdivision, I wonder if entirely devoting it to restaurant/cafe/gallery use is completely viable. Possibly that could be used for the ground floor. The upper floor might be effetively used as an incubator unit for new media and design, which could also give a showcase retail element to the ground floor.
On the subject of the building itself, is the canopy an original feature of the building or a later addition?
POC sent a letter to Cork Bonded Warehouses on 24th March 2000 reminding CBW that under the terms of the 1918 Lease under which they hold the property there is an obligation on them that they “will well and substantially repair cleanse maintain amend and in good and tenantable repair order and condition keep the said premises and all new buildings and works which may at any time during the said time be erected on and all additions made to the said premises and the fixtures therein and the walls fences vaults roads sewers drains and appurtenances thereof with all necessary reparations cleansings and amendments whatsoever (damage by fire excepted) and the said premises so repaired cleansed maintained amended and kept as aforesaid will at the expiration or sooner determination of this demise quietly yield up to the Lessors together with all additions and improvements made thereto in the meantime and all fixtures of every kind in or upon the said premises or which during the said term may be affixed or fastened to or upon the same ..”.
POC called on CBW to comply in full with the above covenant having regard to the terms of a letter from Mr. John Power, Building Control Officer, Cork City Council with particular reference to the south east corner of the premises and the Schedule of Dilapidations dated June 1999 which was served on them from the POC.What has happened in the 6 years since that letter?, the building is in a worse state now than 2000
This fine building needs to be saved, before it’s too late.@rebel_city wrote:
Does anyone have a pic of the POC listed building on Custom Quay handy? I can’t quite picture it! 😮
You will find a photo here rebel_city http://www.corkpastandpresent.ie/corkimages/misc-bonded.shtml
@Dieter wrote:
Have the City Fathers not noticed that we live in a market economy? The fact that, during an unprecedented economic boom, no investor reponded to what was on offer in the Docklands Plan might indicate that the problem lies with the Plan and not with the stakeholders. The Docks have real potential if the Plan has market realism but anyone who believes that an isolated cul de sac like Haulbowline could become a new IFSC has completely lost the plot.
I agree, i also feel the problem with the docklands is the lack of a comprehensive plan that contains adult type joined up thinking.
Having different councillors / officials batting for different stakeholders is not putting the city first.
Many in CCC feel, as you do that Haulbowline is a complete non runner.
