Developer withdraws office block plan

Plans for a nine-storey office block in the heart of Cork City with the potential to deliver up to 2,000 jobs have been withdrawn — even though the local authority gave it the green light.

The 200,000sq ft riverside building on Albert Quay proposed by John Cleary Developments was expected to accommodate 500 staff of anticipated anchor tenant, Swiss security systems multinational, Tyco.

Cork City Council granted planning permission for the development in February. However, by early March, it had been referred to An Bord Pleanála with three objectors.

Monahan Road Development Ltd said it was concerned at the scale of the development in relation to adjacent buildings and “the negative effect it will have on existing offices”.

Another opponent was Elysian Management Ltd, a part of the O’Flynn Construction Group. It owns Ireland’s tallest building, the Elysian, adjacent to the proposed development site.

It appealed on a number of grounds, including that the environmental impact statement was inadequate; the height of the building was unacceptable; traffic issues were not addressed; and the decision allows encroachment onto private property at Port Lane.