Cork planning: A new look city emerges amid openings and closures

RETAIL

Throughout January and February, the Cork city retail scene had an injection of new shop outlets and permitted renovations, with additional applications for construction and developments submitted in March.

During this three-month period, several applications were lodged with Cork City Council relating to material changes, including a submission from Holren Properties Ahall Ltd to renovate a section of Cork’s Paul St Shopping Centre, which has been given the go-ahead, and an application from Better Value Unlimited Company, seeking changes to the front of the Dunnes Stores department store on Patrick St, which is yet to be green lit.

There were also additions to the heart of Cork’s shopping district, with the arrival of UK outdoor retailer Mountain Warehouse, which is now located at the former Topshop premises on Opera Lane. That saw the street fully occupied for the first time since 2019.

However, shortly after this, British clothing company New Look, which occupied a centre outlet on Opera Lane, and also had shops across Blackpool, Wilton and Ballincollig, announced the closure of all of its Irish stores, quickly undoing the fully-occupied status.

At the time of the announcement, a spokesperson for New Look said that following a lengthy review, the company found that it was “no longer viable” to trade in Ireland.

“Over the past few years, we have had to navigate a tough external environment, which has only become more unpredictable,” the spokesperson said.

“We have adapted to this evolving landscape by investing in our product proposition and digital offer.

“However, due to the increasingly volatile trading conditions, we needed to expedite our existing plans, which included conducting a review of our operations in the Republic of Ireland.

“Following this review, the group regrettably concluded that it was no longer viable to continue trading here, so it has made the difficult, but necessary, decision to enter liquidation in this market.”

As a counterpoint to this loss to the retail scene, an application was made to Cork City Council by US clothing retailer Urban Outfitters in the same week, seeking permission to revamp the former Dorothy Perkins location at no 101 Patrick Street. The plans, lodged by Urban Retail Ireland Ltd, request permission for the installation of external hanging and fascia signage, as well as the internal retail fit-out to ground- and first-floor levels.

Proposed works at the protected structure will include the installation of new fitting rooms at first-floor level, new balustrades to stairs, new standards fixed to existing walls, to merchandising racking and shelving, and minor alterations and adaptions to mechanical and electrical systems.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the retailer’s application by April 7.

Another application lodged during Q1, submitted to Cork County Council by Corajio Unlimited Company, who trade as Mr Price, is seeking to construct the retailer’s fifth Cork store, along Broad St and Baker’s Lane in Charleville.

The proposed development will see the demolition of a dwelling, a car-repair garage, lean-to warehouse extension and ancillary buildings, for the construction of the new outlet.

The application is also seeking a change of use of the warehouse site from industrial to retail, and proposes the implementation of 35 car parking spaces to be used by store customers.

The plans further include provision for the widening of the entrance and dished kerb access off Baker’s Lane, with the relocation of speed ramps.

Cork County Council is due to make a decision on the application by April 14.

Other announcements made within the retail landscape throughout the first three months of the year include the closure of Mannix & Culhane on Washington St, who shut their doors for the last time at the end of March, after 95 years of trading. The owners decided to retire.

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In addition to the notable changes in retail,there have also been a number of announcements and disappointing exits in the food and drink scene in Cork city.

These included the closure of Frankie’s pizza on South Mall, which cited difficulty operating a food business in the current economic climate, as well as the closures of Pizzeria San Marco in Midleton, Kabin cafes in both Ballincollig and Ballinhassig and the Guji coffee bar at the Marina Market.

Elsewhere an application made to Cork City Council in March, by McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd, is seeking to remodel the chain’s Douglas location.

The proposed plans provide for modifications and upgrade works to the interior and exterior of the restaurant, along with improvements to the drive-thru lane and associated signage.

The applicant is further seeking to implement a new entrance lobby, with a new sliding door and glazing, new internal doors and walls, extension works to provide for increased kitchen and dining areas, and new booth windows.

They are also seeking to install a new height restrictor, canopies and road markings in the drive-thru lane, as well as a new fast-forward booth and associated bay, where customers can wait for their orders without causing congestion, and solar s at roof level.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the proposed modifications by April 22.

Additionally, a number of commercial opportunities arose within the city and county during Q1, including the listing of the iconic Flying Enterprise complex, which was posted for sale for €5.3m, as well as the listing of The Cotton Ball Bar and Brewery in Mayfield, for €950,000.

The sale of the Flying Enterprise complex, which includes the Flying Enterprise Lounge and Restaurant, The Courtyard Bar on Sober Lane and the former CBS building on Sullivan’s Quay, is being overseen by Cohalan Downing and Lisney.

The complex, which incorporates a number of mixed-use elements, is being sold as a whole, or in three separate lots, and brings with it an opportunity for up to €185,000 of rental income for interested buyers.

The sale of The Cotton Ball Bar and Brewery comes after more than 150 years of trading in Cork’s northside, having been established in 1874 by the Lynch family.

Included in the sale is the traditional Cotton Ball bar, which was partially renovated in 2019, and on-site brewery, consisting of a 12-barrel brew house, six 2,000-litre conical cyclo-cylindrical conditioning tanks, and two 2,000-litre bright beer tanks.

The property, being sold by agents Sherry Fitzgerald, sits on 0.5 acres and is contained in an end-of-terrace, part-single, part-two-storey building.

The decision to sell the property comes as its owners have decided to retire from licensed trade.

In recent days, developer BAM has also applied for an extension to its planning permission for the long-awaited Cork Event Centre development.

With the current permission set to expire on June 19, BAM is requesting an extension of five years until June 18, 2030, in order to complete the construction of the facility.In an extension-of-duration application lodged with Cork City Council, BAM said numerous delays to the project will lead to the permission lapsing, unless the extension is granted.

RESIDENTIAL

In addition to developments in the retail and commercial sectors in the coming months, there are also plans for further expansion of the residential space across Cork city and county.

Throughout Q1, several applications were green lit by Cork City Council for housing, including a 406-bed student accommodation at the site of the former St Jospeh’s Convent on the Model Farm Rd, and a 48-home residential development on the Blackrock Rd.

Applications, which are yet to be decided on, that were submitted during this time to Cork City Council, include plans for the construction of a small residential development at the site of the former Distillery Bar in Blackpool, and plans for another 170-bed student accommodation in Bishopstown.

The plans for the small residential development, submitted by Unique Fitout Unlimited, are seeking permission for the redevelopment of the site to the rear of the bar on the Watercourse Rd, and if permitted, will see the demolition of a number of outbuildings for the construction of eight residential dwelling units at the site.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the application by April 30.

The plans for a 170-bed student accommodation, lodged by Denis O’Brien Developments, seek the demolition of the two-storey office building to the rear of Bishopstown House on the Model Farm Rd, for the construction of 21 student houses, with 163 beds in two buildings of two and three storeys.

The proposed development also consists of work on Bishopstown House, which is a protected structure.

The application contains plans to demolish some internal walls at the former health services building, with a dining/living room, reception and student study hub, as well as a further seven bed spaces.

New walls, railing, footpaths, gates, steps and entrances are also included in the plans, as well as 85 bike spaces and five car spaces.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the development by May 13.

Plans for more than 360 homes were also resubmitted to Cork County Council during Q1, following refusals from the local authority, due to prior applications being deemed incomplete.

The application, submitted by Bridgewater Homes Ltd, seeks to build 362 residential units, along with a creche and a cafe, at a site on the Mountain Rd in Kilmoney, Carrigaline.

The proposed plans will see the demolition of all existing structures on the 12.97-hectare site, in order to allow for the construction of the large-scale residential development.

The planned development would include 318 dwelling houses, consisting of a mix of two-, three- and four-bed semi-detached and townhouse/terraced units, and 44 two-bed apartment/duplex units.

The plans also seek permission for additional works, including access, footpaths, car and bicycle parking, drainage, including a pumping station, bicycle and bin stores, lighting, and landscaping areas.

Cork County Council is due to make a decision on this latest application, which is at the pre-validation stage, by May 26.

More recently, a Part 8 planning notice has been published for a new social housing development at the former site of Topps sweet factory in Ballincollig, which could see 56 homes built.

The development consists of the construction of one four-bed house, 17 three-bed houses, 12 one-bed ground-floor apartments, 12 two-bed duplex units, seven two-bed ground-floor apartments, and seven three-bed duplex units.

Also included in the plans are 58 car parking spaces and 120 bicycle spaces, which are being developed on a one-hectare site, in partnership with OBR Construction Group and Cork City Council.