UCC to build scaled-down business school after ditching city centre plan

The Brooks Haughton site on South Terrace in Cork City cost €17m, while a further €2m has been spent on architectural and association costs over the last three years

University College Cork’s plans for the development of a world class business school in the centre of Cork City were recently scrapped. Picture: G-Net 3D

University College Cork (UCC) is set to develop a scaled-down business school, after plans to build the project in the city centre were scrapped.

The revised plan for the project will see it moved to a new site, having previously been earmarked for development at the Brooks Haughton site on South Terrace in Cork City. The site itself cost €17m, while a further €2m has been spent on architectural and association costs over the last three years.

Government sources confirmed the project would be going “back to the drawing board”, but there would be a business school developed by UCC. In the Dáil, higher education minister James Lawless said he did not expect UCC to move ahead with the business school building as had been planned on South Terrace.

“The project will advance, however value for money is a key consideration,” Mr Lawless said. He said the preferred location for the business school must be a “feature of student access”, while also being able to leverage access to the existing UCC campus.

“It is important that State funding is used well, is used wisely and is used to deliver maximum benefits for the student population and indeed for the institute that it serves.

“I think the factor here really is that the ambition remains to develop a very high-end business school in the ambit of UCC. However, I think there is quite a wise reassessment of the overall project spec and scope and indeed cost envelope as part of this capital review plan.”

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

The delay has been criticised by Labour’s higher education spokesperson Senator Laura Harmon.

“‘UCC need to tell the local community, students and staff what is to become of the site they bought originally for the Business School and how millions were wasted on planning for a site that is now not going ahead.

“This is galling for staff in UCC, many of whom are on precarious contracts and students who are bearing the brunt of the cost of living. UCC must account for this waste of public funds.”