Planning decision puts plans for 1,300 homes in Cork's docklands on hold
Marino Point Former IFI Plant and lands. Picture: Denis Scannell
The redevelopment of Cork City's docklands has been dealt a significant blow with a decision by An Bord Pleanála putting the construction of more than 1,300 apartments on hold indefinitely.
Planning for a new port facility on the site of the former Irish Fertiliser Industries (IFI) plant at Marino Point in Cork Harbour was refused on Monday. Goulding Soil Nutrition wanted to construct an agricultural fertiliser facility and develop the existing jetty at Marino Point to facilitate cargo vessels.
Last year, developer O'Callaghan Properties was granted planning for the largest residential development plan to date for the city at the Goulding site at Centre Park Road and Monahan Road. However, those plans depended on a positive planning decision from An Bord Pleanála regarding the former IFI site.
Following the decision, Goulding said it will continue to operate from its Centre Park Road facility. As a result, the more than 1,300 apartment development has been put on indefinite hold now that Goulding will remain in the city.
O'Callaghan Properties said the decision, which is more than two years overdue, will have major negative implications for the provision of housing in Cork and for the development of Docklands.
"Its immediate impact is to prevent the development of 1,325 apartments for which O’Callaghan Properties secured planning permission in 2023. It also prevents the development of a further 500 apartments envisaged for the remaining portion of the Goulding site," it told the Irish Examiner.
The developer added that the decision undermines the potential of Cork Docklands to provide the quantum of housing units envisaged in the City Development Plan, with the presence of Goulding "effectively sterilising a significant portion of the available development land in the Docklands".
Planning was initially granted by Cork County Council to Gouldings in 2020, but An Bord Pleanála was asked to overturn the decision amid concerns about the impact the facility would have regarding noise pollution on residents of Passage West. Concerns were also raised that it would pose a road safety hazard due to increased traffic, particularly around Belvelly Bridge.
In its decision, An Bord Pleanála said the R624 road and its capacity would not be sufficient to cater to any traffic-intensive use port-related or otherwise, noting that there are no current plans to upgrade the road in the application.
"The proposed development at Marino Point provides an opportunity to make use of the rail resource at Marino Point for rail-based freight distribution of product, therefore, reducing the reliance of road-based transport in favour of more sustainable transport infrastructure," the planning board said.
However, O'Callaghan Properties responded: "The contention in the ABP decision that somehow rail might reduce the reliance on road transportation for the activities of Goulding is simply untenable given the logistical requirements to distribute to individual farms throughout the region. The issues referenced in the ABP decision must be resolved if Docklands is to be developed and its potential fully realised."
