Cork Docklands Public Consultation

DylanGLC

Did anyone attend the public consultation last night, and if so wish to share what was discussed/new information?

namloc1980

More plans, discussion and paper development. Is this the third docklands plan in the last 20 years? Without central Government support this is going nowhere (again).

DylanGLC

Too bad Simon Covenet didn't get the Taoiseach position. I do think this will happen, though. Not necessarily anything from the council but all the private investment (Port Of Cork, Navigation Square, Horgan Quay(?))

Frostybrew

It will only be the small scale developments we've had to date without public funding. For the Tivoli area you would be talking two new train stations, plus possible electrification of the existing rail network.

For the main docklands area, at least three new bridges, a LUAS line, and several new bus routes. Also required would be new street-scapes, lighting, footpaths, bus lanes, sewerage, and cycling infrastructure.

You'd be talking 1.3 to 1.5 billion euro. While there will be some development levies, private investment isn't going to cover this.

who_me

Couldn't attend, but you can still provide feedback here: https://consult.corkcity.ie

There have been some massively ambitious proposals (Atlantic Quarter, long dead; and the proposed Marina Commercial Park, which possibly is still just on the back-burner) but IMO we're not going to see the docklands developed like that. No one is going to build a cluster of shiny luxury office and residential buildings in the middle of a run-down industrial area. Particularly when the Centre Park Road area supposedly needs to be raised ~3m (!!)

It's far more likely that we see more 'organic' growth where buildings slowly extend into brown-field sites in the docklands - and that's kind of what we're seeing already, albeit VERY slowly. Lapp's Quay, The Elysian, One Albert Quay and now Navigation Square. If the Custom House quay is ever restored/redeveloped it'll really bring a buzz to that end of the city. It can't really grow much further out that direction though with redevelopment of the Kennedy quay-side (boardwalk, street layout, public lighting etc.). We might see some redevelopment in from the far end (with the rebuilding of PUC and the new Marina Park) but it's less likely, given the distance from the centre.

Pepsirebel

Would it be a far better idea to perhaps level the area and put in all necessary infrastructure (roads, parks, plazas, rail links, footpaths, lighting, etc) first and identify the building locations/footprints with grassed areas so that when the buildings are to be erected it can be done piecemeal without the whole area being a building site.

These areas could then be used for public concerts or other type events like they do in large cities.

DylanGLC

City chief Doherty is sure of docklands development

CORK'S dockland development is no longer a dream but a reality, according to the chief of Cork City Council.

Consultation on plans for the area began last week, with ambitious proposals for new homes, offices and, even, light rail all mooted for the coming decades.

Work has already started on the next major office development in the area, with more expected in the coming months.

City chief Ann Doherty said, "It is not a dream. Some elements of the plan will take years but they are a reality. These are all major pieces of confidence for Cork."

She pointed to One Albert Quay, Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the recently-started Marina Park plan, all of which prove that the plans are a reality.

Central government funding has been secured to complete preparatory works on several sites in the area, with hopes that the Eastern Gateway Bridge plan may be revisited in the coming years.

Ms Doherty said, "What is important is that the State is not intervening in building these offices - the private market is doing it and it is showing demand.

"For developers, I know accessing funding can be an issue but what we can do is provide the infrastructure to facilitate other works and that is what we are doing."

High-speed transport solutions, such as rapid bus corridors or light rail, are all part of the longer term ambitions for the area, which is expected to be home to thousands of people and jobs over the coming decades if plans are realised.