Planners advise Tyndall to 'reconsider' demolition of former Cork Distillers plant

Tyndall National Institute wants to build a four- to seven-storey nanoelectronics research building at the North Mall site

Planners said they had “concerns of a very serious nature” about the Tyndall National Institute's proposed demolition of the bottling plant. File photo

A fine example of 20th-century industrial architecture in Cork City has been saved from demolition - for now.

It follows a request from Cork City Council for a raft of further information from the Tyndall National Institute on its planning application for a major nanoelectronics research building at North Mall.

The project includes controversial proposals to demolish the disused former Cork Distillers' bottling plant to make way for a four- to seven-storey research building, linking to the existing Tyndall via a new bridge.

But planners have expressed serious concerns about the proposed demolition and have "strongly advised" the Tyndall to reconsider that approach, and to meaningfully integrate the plant with their proposed building.

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The bottling plant, designed in 1964 by architect Frank Murphy, is widely regarded as an example of classic 1960s architecture. Murphy, a mid-20th century modernist and conservationist, won a Europa Nostra medal in 1975 for his body of work, including 1 South Mall and Thompson House on MacCurtain Street, both in Cork City.

In a 10-page further information request, seen by the Irish Examiner, planners said they had “concerns of a very serious nature” about the proposed demolition of the bottling plant.

“While the principle of a research facility for UCC Tyndall is broadly acceptable at the North Mall campus there are however concerns of a very serious nature in respect to the proposal to entirely demolish a structure such as the former bottling plant,” they said.

And they said the demolition approach is not "an integrated development strategy that retains the essential character of the land whilst facilitating redevelopment at scale".

“Therefore the submitted application is not considered to have properly assessed the significance of its built heritage and landscape setting and would impede the realisation of the full potential of the redevelopment of the distillery site without a master plan for the entire lands," they said.

“Therefore the applicant is strongly advised to reconsider this element of the proposal and meaningfully integrate the proposed building with the existing bottling plant.” 

The bottling plant, designed in 1964 by architect Frank Murphy, is widely regarded as an example of classic 1960s architecture.

The applicants have also been asked to revise their submission on the cultural heritage of the building and to deal with the significance of the plant's contribution to 20th-century architecture and the modernist movement, and to prepare “a historic building assessment” of the plant, to include a statement of significance and a comprehensive record in the form of a photographic record and scaled drawings, by a team which includes specialists who have completed surveys on 20th-century buildings of a similar nature.

“In addition, the potential to retain and reuse the building or significant elements thereof should also be considered in consultation with the conservation architect and engineer,” the council said.

Other areas they’ve been asked to address include landscape and visual impact with specific regard to viewpoints towards the Sunday Well area, consideration of travel patterns and details on how safe pedestrian movement is dealt with in and out of the existing entrance, and a request to conduct bird, bat and otter surveys at the “optimal time of the year”.