Revised €45m office block granted approval

Revised plans for a €45m quayside office block, with the potential to deliver 1,800 jobs for Cork City, have been given planning permission.

City planners gave the green light yesterday to the scaled-back project proposed by John Cleary Development’s Progressive Commercial Construction and BAM Properties for the site on Albert Quay.

“This €45m project, which is fully funded, will deliver over 1,800 jobs into the city centre,” a JCD spokesman said.

“This will be of huge benefit for existing business and new traders in the city alike.”

The city council’s previous approval of the project’s original planning application was the subject of a successful High Court application on behalf of Elysian Management Ltd — the management body of the neighbouring Elysian scheme developed by Michael O’Flynn — for leave to seek a judicial review of the planning permission.

The revised plans sanctioned yesterday were submitted in April following mediation between the Albert Quay site developers and Elysian Management Ltd.

The approved project sees the building height reduced to seven storeys, floors set back, and other amendments.

“We expect to start construction on the glass-fronted, 170,000 sq ft building in just over a month, creating 300 construction jobs over the 20-month build,” the JCD spokesman said.

The construction of the office block has been linked to the proposed move of hundreds of Tyco jobs from Mahon to the city centre.

The JCD spokesman said they are in detailed negotiations with a number of other potential occupiers of the new building.

“Cork has a great track record in attracting multinational companies and this building provides a unique opportunity to attract further investment with the world-class office facilities that major international and indigenous companies are looking for,” he said.

“This is exactly in line with the recommendations of the Colliers report to Cork City Council, which stated that the city centre urgently needed modern, large-floorplate office space to help revitalise Cork’s city centre.”

JCD and BAM Contractors worked together on City Gate Park in Mahon, now home to companies such as EMC, Dell, RDJ solicitors, Fireye, and VCE.