Dutch group wins Beamish site contract

A DUTCH-to-Dutch deal to develop the historic Beamish and Crawford site in Cork city has just been confirmed – as work is set to start next week on removing the massive steel tanks at the South Main Street brewery.

BAM Property (previously Ascon Property Development) and part of the Dutch Royal BAM group, was yesterday confirmed as the exclusive development partner for the central city, riverside, four-acre Beamish and Crawford site.

That site has been the centre of the Beamish and Crawford brewing business since 1792 (and was used for brewing for hundreds of years even before that) – so the move is very much “a defining one in the company’s very long history,” said a company spokesperson.

The brewery, has seen its business taken over and transferred to the Dutch-controlled Heineken Ireland/Murphy site on Leitrim Street in Cork city, where some 430 jobs are now based. About 120 Beamish and Crawford jobs were lost after last May’s takeover by the Heineken Group.

Selecting a Dutch-based multinational as a preferred development partner was “entirely coincidental,” according to Heineken Ireland corporate affairs manager Declan Farmer.

Royal BAM Group has a global turnover of €9 billion, and the Irish group (originally Ascon/Rohcon) has operated here since 1958, with its contracting arm turning over €460 million through four offices in Ireland.

According to Mr Farmer, after canvassing development proposals, they can confirm BAM “as the preferred site development partner to work with, in drafting appropriate plans for the optimal redevelopment of the strategic site in the heart of Cork city, beneficial to the public realm and mindful of its historical nature and importance to the city”.

Among BAM’s other Cork development sites are the former Government Buildings property on Sullivan’s Quay, earmarked for a €120 million office-led development, plus a site on Albert Quay, also for offices. Coincidentally, all three are River Lee-fronting sites. According to Mr Farmer, it is too early to say what the B&C site might be redeveloped for. Calls have been made for cultural-museum-education uses to be included on it.

The Beamish site by the SouthGate Bridge and old city walls will need an archaeological dig, and preservation of some buildings/facades, including the iconic, Tudor-style, main building.

Meanwhile, the decommissioning process to remove all brewing equipment on the Beamish site steps up next week with the dismantling of eight horizontal bulk tanks, followed by the removal of 24 vertical tanks located at the south western facing side of the site. The individual tank’s capacity varies from 80,000 through 150,000 and 208,000 pints each.

“The removal of such tanks will incorporate daylight lifting by large mobile cranes with removal and transportation taking place at night-time hours.

“This will involve the brief closure and traffic reversal of South Main Street, done with full approval of the gardaí, and all relevant public authorities,” said Mr Farmer.