Planners reject 800 new homes in Cork due to 'visually obtrusive' apartment block

Seán McCárthaigh

Plans for a massive development of over 800 new homes in Cork city docks including a 35-storey apartment block have been refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.

The board rejected an application by Tiznow Property Company Limited to construct 823 apartments on a 4.86 hectare site along the Marina and Central Park Road on the banks of the River Lee in Cork.

The company is part of the well-known Comer property development group headed by billionaire brothers, Luke and Brian Comer.

The proposed development involved the demolition of buildings on the site of the former Tedcastles Yard and the construction of six apartment blocks ranging from one to 35 storeys in height.

The plans also incorporated commercial uses for each of the buildings including three cafés/restaurants, two pubs, seven retail units and a convenience store with an off-licence.

Other facilities included a library, medical centre, pharmacy, post office and dentist as well as two creches.

Tiznow claimed the development would “create a vibrant city quarter that will the growth of Cork City as a competitive European city.”

However, An Bord Pleanála has now refused planning permission for the multi-million euro project on the grounds that the proposed development would be “visually obtrusive” from a wide range of viewpoints in the city.

“The design of the tower element and the scale of riverfront development in combination with poor design in of facade treatment and architectural expression would seriously detract from the visual amenities and character of the area,” the board said.

It claimed the development would be seriously injurious to the visual amenities of the area and claimed the plans represented an inadequate design response “to the context and opportunity of this site.”

The board also rejected the plans on the basis that part of the site was zoned for educational use under the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028.

It noted that one apartment block was due to be located on the part of the site earmarked for schools or other educational facilities.

The board said the plans consequently represented a material contravention of land use zoning policy in Cork city which would “prejudice the future provision of educational facilities within the Cork Docklands area.”

The planning application had been made under the process for strategic housing developments which meant the applicant was not required to first obtain approval for the project from Cork City Council.

However, the council’s chief executive also recommended that planning permission should be refused for the project on the basis that it would be “visually obtrusive” and represented a poor design for a prime waterfront site on the Docklands.

Council planners observed that there was no provision for active recreational infrastructure to meet the needs of around 2,000 residents apart from a child’s play area, while the residential density was not compliant with the city development plan.

They also remarked that the 35-storey building was not considered “to be of acceptable architectural quality.”