Iconic Youghal site on the waterfront goes up for sale 

Development of the property could add to the East Cork seaside town's tourism infrastructure

The sale of the Green's Quay site in Youghal could boost tourism in the town. Photos: Karen Dempsey Photography.

An iconic East Cork landbank - the former Youghal Shipping site at Green's Quay, on the town's northern end - has been put up for sale, with the hope that it future development will add to the town's existing tourism infrastructure 

The site sits on the banks of the Blackwater, close to where the river meets the open sea and is within two minutes of the town centre.

The waterfront property consists of two parcels of adjacent land, totalling approximately six acres.

The first parcel has circa five acres and is zoned for port-related activities.

It is dominated by a 2,000m2 storage area, complete with upper-level office space, kitchen and toilet facility, measuring 300m2.

The second parcel, across a narrow roadway, is an approximately one-acre containment housing a 4,140m2 storage building.

This second parcel is zoned towards regeneration and is deemed of essential importance towards Youghal's overall development.

Both areas come with foul and surface water drainage and readily accessible electricity and broadband.

Regeneration

The combined site meets the regeneration and zoning objectives of the 2022-28 County Development Plan and is deemed ideal in scope and location for mixed-use development across tourism-related infrastructure -such as a hotel or conference centre- along with retail and residential options.

It is recommended that the purchaser deploys an overall, coordinated master plan that will address the entire site's unique waterfront characteristics.

Youghal UDC sold the land to Youghal Carpets in the 1970s in a decision that still rankles with many townspeople who consider it to have been inappropriate and detrimental.

The site comes on the market following the recent closure of Youghal Shipping Ltd., which had principally operated an import and storage facility for Scottish timber and Turkish steel, prior to onward road transportation, since 1996.

Previously the site hosted an earlier shipping interest who had acquired it from Youghal Carpets, where the smaller parcel now available formed part of the factory's manufacturing sector.

Historically the larger parcel was part of a circa 12-acre tract of open land known as Dunne's Park, in recognition of it being bequeathed to the townspeople by a benefactor of that name.

Green's Quay, Youghal. 

Part of the land was utilised to build a housing estate in the 1960s, with the remainder serving as a picturesque, open land setting much used as a children's sports and play area.

Youghal UDC sold the land to Youghal Carpets in the 1970s in a decision that still rankles with many townspeople who consider it to have been inappropriate and detrimental.

The current proposal, by Brian Gleeson Property Ltd., may see Youghal's industrial dependency further deposed in deference to retail and tourism as Green's Quay joins three blue flag beaches, a 3km boardwalk, golf club, swimming pool, re-opened clock tower, myriad walks and an imminent greenway amongst a growing list of tourism and retail sustainability.