Developer’s fury at NRA objection to €200m project

A DEVELOPER has accused the National Roads Authority (NRA) of putting 1,500 jobs at risk by objecting to his plans to build a €200 million office project near one of the country’s busiest roundabouts.

John Cleary, the man behind the development earmarked for City Gate in Mahon, Cork, said the NRA is now effectively stopping the project from going forward.

“They are the only party to appeal the decision,” Mr Cleary said. “The NRA until now did not partake in the planning process and it is extremely frustrating that they have now decided to delay the development.

“We are actively marketing the development to multi-national technology companies and can confirm that we are in detailed negotiations to secure at least one major occupier.

“We are scheduled to break ground here over the coming weeks and this delay will have major implications for the region’s credibility and ability to attract the kind of foreign investment that is interested in locating here. They won’t wait – they will simply locate somewhere else.”

His company, John Cleary Developments (JCD), secured planning permission from Cork City Council last month after city councillors voted unanimously to rezone the site between the Project Management (PM) building and the internal Mahon Point Shopping Centre road.

Councillors agreed to address traffic concerns by ring-fencing some of the estimated €3m in development contributions which will be paid by JCD to build an extra lane for traffic going into the site.

However, it emerged at the weekend that the NRA has lodged a “substantial and comprehensive” objection with An Bord Pleanála.

A spokesman for the NRA declined to comment on the detail of the objection last night.

“We will not be making any comment while the public planning process is ongoing. Our submission has been made and we will wait for the ruling,” he said.

But it is understood the authority is citing concerns about what it says is the inability of the local road network – close to the Jack Lynch Tunnel and the Dunkettle Interchange – to cope with increased traffic.

The area already experiences heavy traffic and chronic congestion at rush hour and weekends.

But Mr Cleary said the NRA’s job is to provide infrastructure and “not to stymie development that is in the region’s best interests and complies with the objectives of the National Spatial Strategy and the Cork Area Strategic Plan”.

“Cork is seen as a perfect location from a lifestyle, talented work pool and accessibility point of view for these global leaders in their fields and it is unfathomable that a statutory agency such as the NRA would stand in the way of these massive economic opportunities for the region,” Mr Cleary said.

JCD is responsible for the City Gate Development at Mahon. It has a track record of attracting world-class firms such as McAfee, Big Fish Games and Solarwinds who have their European headquarters there.

JCD’s new office project will create some 350 jobs during construction.

Meanwhile, the NRA has confirmed that it has not yet secured funding for the construction of flyovers of the city’s Bandon and Sarsfield Road roundabouts.

The spokesman said advance works for both projects are complete and that land acquisition is ongoing.

He said the NRA hopes to prepare all the tender documentation before the end of the summer and then seek funding, with a view to awarding the contract early next year.