New building for garda station moves step closer

PLANS to replace an 1890s-built garda station in one of Cork’s biggest towns cleared the final government hurdle yesterday.

The Department of Justice approved the draft design for the new station in Ballincollig.

The decision clears the way for the Office of Public Works (OPW) to lodge a planning application with Cork County Council.

It is expected that application will be lodged within about four weeks, ending a decade-old campaign to secure a new station.

The new building will be provided on the site of the existing station and on an adjoining half acre site, which will be purchased from the Department of Defence.

The former Murphy Barracks was wrapped around the station and was sold for development as the Ballincollig Town Centre.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Batt O’Keeffe, welcomed the latest moves in securing a new station for his town: “Now that the draft design has been approved, the OPW can begin the planning process and I expect an application to be lodged next month.”

The new building will measure about 2,000 square feet. It will also reach three storeys high in places.

It will have four cells, two juvenile detention rooms and four to five interview rooms, as well as a reception area, a kitchen, storage room and badly needed parking facilities.

The old red-brick station building, which dates from 1894, will be demolished, along with the adjacent former army barracks house, and a new entrance from Main Street will be provided by widening the existing entrance.

The building was opened as a garda station in 1924.