Pug

@browser wrote:

It seems amazing they are so confident of changing the zoning in the first place……

I should express an “interest” in this regard as I live on Maryborough Hill but really and truly that road can’t take however many thousand of houses are planned. Equally, whatever happened to the concept of a green belt?

I agree browser, I’m in carrigaline and a local politician advised me of a proposal for 800 houses which would materially contravene the local development plan. There was no opinion from him of course on the fact that they seem happy to materially contravene it whenever they want to which begs the question on where the greenbelts put into the plan are going.

THe N28 that connects Carrigaline is the road that will pass the new Carrigaline (formerly Douglas) Golf Club. That road is going to be widened with flyovers at Shannon Park and the Bloofield Interchange. From what I hear, Castlelands will tie in that road development, co incidentally of course, to their golf club redevelopment and have an exit off it into the Golf Club.

I’d be stunned if Castlelands cant get zoning, they may get done in terms of density of houses that they can get put in , but there is a market for large luxury houses up there with yourself on Maryborough Hill – then again, with the price they are paying, you’d imagine they would try and pack in the houses

you’d have to puzzle also over a report in last weeks Examiner which saw Owen O Callaghan being the leading front runner to buy Cork Con and relocate them, particularly when City Manager J Gavin publicly stated that he wants to keep the Cork Con site for recreation / amenity. J Gavin said the conference centre should be within 2km of the city centre and cork con is a mere trip down ballintemple hill to the docklands.

I worry as well about the CPO which stated the minimal involvement City Council wanted to have with Pairc Ui Chaoimh redevelopment.

@kite wrote:

Joe Gavin said he will present a detailed report to city councillors within a month which is likely to recommend that the city consider sites other than the council’s favoured Kent station railway location.

Hurrah! some sense at last. They wanted to build a conference centre in a run down area with no bus link, no easy transport to city centre and traffic congestion and a 19th century rail building and 15th century level of service

@kite wrote:

Mr Gavin declined to criticise CIÉ and Manor Park Homes. But he said: “The various parties haven’t enthusiastically embraced the proposal for this site.”

how is that for diplomatic – fair play to his patience.

@kite wrote:

Councillors called on Monday for swift action

Who are they calling on? themselves? Why did they wait until now? or are they admitting they have no power and rely on J Gavin.

Douglas Golf CLub meeting this day week about the new course. I’d say it will be a yes.

@browser wrote:

PUG me ol’ china, I didn’t say a word about councillors, it was our TDs, alleged national legislators, I was referring to……

Your general point was indeed taken and I wholly agree, my point was when you mentioned Councillors Clune and McGrath that in my opinion, the councillors dont have a lot of power and make motions such a recent one “That the Minister for Transport immediately enact the necessary legislation to ensure that all personal flotation devices being sold or distributed be fitted with an integral crotch strap.”

Jungle, very interesting point that T Shannon sends leaflets deciding to fight the Dunmahon development, his reasons would be handy! Nice to see objective opinions being kept by the local authority. Am still a bit dubious about 5 storeys though, then again I havent seen the design.

@kite wrote:

🙂 Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern is to announce tonight in the Rochestown Park Hotel that Cork Docklands redevelopment is to be elevated to a “National Project” status.

A national steering forum is to be set up to kickstart the 2 billion development of the area.

Hopefully after 7 years of inaction by Cork City Councillors things will finally happen in the docklands.

1. Cork docklands is now a National Project Status – firstly, so what. Secondly, why did it take so long to do something about it.

2. A national steering forum is to be set up. I thought we already had a Cork Docklands project team.

I’ll believe it when it happens.

yes, planner Ronnie McDowell issued a refusal based on the following reasons (essentially the plans got hammered on all fronts, the most obvious being a complete lack of proposals for the redevelopment of Kent Station)

Makes you wonder what the architects/designers were thinking, If CIE were involved in any of this application, serious questions should be asked as to how they even managed to put this application in? Surely for this magnitude of project, pre planning should be done over and over until the project is a shoe-in at planning application time.

As detailed above the development is fundamentally unacceptable in principle given the lack of a comprehensive approach by the applicants / landowners to the redevelopment of the entire strategic Kent Station/Horgans Quay lands. In addition as outlined there are serious design issues within both sub-areas which cannot be rectified under this application.

In summary the proposal is unacceptable for the following reasons:-
1. Failure to adequately provide for the design for a new Kent Station and Square and the associated infrastructure necessary for this new city quarter;
2. Failure to adequately provide for a New National Road and appropriate network of streets and routes;
3. Failure to provide an appropriate urban grain or to adequately relate proposed ground levels to existing levels on Horgan’s Quay and adjoining areas;
4. Failure to provide a high quality public realm and any public open space;
5. Failure to provide the Quayside Amenity Area in any form on Horgans Quay;
6. Failure to conserve the Goods Depot (Protected Structure) in an appropriate
fashion;
7. Failure to provide pedestrian linkages from the development to the City
Centre;
8. Failure to provide appropriate transportation and traffic management due to
lack of comprehensive approach;
9. Tall building unacceptable as a matter of principle due to location and scale;
10. The general building height is contrary to the development plan;
11. Unacceptable impact on views and prospects of Montenotte / Tivoli Ridge, St. Luke’s Townland and Church, Grattan Hill Area of Special Character;
12. Failure to show how Social and Affordable Houses can be properly provided on-site;
13. An unacceptable road junction onto Water Street and which will require to be relocated northwards which is outside the site boundary.

The principle of a phased redevelopment of the Horgan’s Quay / Kent Station lands is fully supported by the planning authority. However in any possible reapplication the onus will be on the applicants in conjunction with the landowners to submit an urban design masterplan to the agreement of the planning authority for the entire Kent Station / Horgan’s Quay landholding.

well, M Cullen and CIE are consistent in their ability to irritate the whole of ireland,

THE INDO
A €1bn plan to transform public transport in Galway city was at the centre of a row yesterday.

No sooner had Transport Minister Martin Cullen and CIE Chairman, Dr John Lynch spoken in glowing terms about the plan at a function in Galway, than proceedings broke up in disarray. Local heritage group, Cairde na Gaillimhe and Labour Party President Michael D Higgins both slammed the project.

All of those at the top table refused to answer questions or enter into debate about the use of the hugely valuable city centre site at the heart of the transport plan. The 14-acre Ceannt station landbank is the last available development site in the city centre.