€500m quay plan gets nod

THE tracks were cleared yesterday for a €500 million development on the CIÉ-owned Horgan’s Quay site in Cork and for a €25m revamp of the city’s Kent railway station.

Up to 2,000 housing units, hi-tech offices, cinemas, restaurants and hotels are planned by Manor Park Homes for the 17-acre site, Transport Minister Martin Cullen said.

The long-awaited development, which also includes the construction of a bus station, will be the launch pad for a €2 billion Docklands Strategy.

Mr Cullen, making the announcement in Cork with CIÉ board chairman Dr John Lynch, said an application for planning permission is expected soon.

Mr Cullen said:

“The CIÉ board has demonstrated vision and ambition with the development of its lands on Horgan’s Quay.”

The minister also announced a significant upgrade of Kent Station.

Irish Rail plans to re-orientate the station away from the current entrance on Glanmire Road to a new entrance facing the Horgan’s Quay scheme.

A 3,000 square metre station is planned, comparable in size to Heuston Station in Dublin.

Mr Cullen also said the first step in the €100m reopening of the Cork to Midleton line will be taken later this year.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced an €81m investment in its plants in Little Island, Co Cork yesterday.

Company vice president, Dr Terry Lambe, said the investment would combine its two plants and provide more efficiency. He said 25 job losses would result, hopefully through voluntary redundancy among the 480 workers at both plants.