PLANNING NOTES: Decision due on change from retail to office use on Cork’s Lavitt’s Quay

Cork City Council is to decide by the end of this week whether or not to permit office use at a quayside, outdoors shop to allow an educational authority to expand its offices.

The plans, from Hilltrent Ltd, last December, relate to the ground-floor of Owen O’Callaghan’s no 21, Lavitt’s Quay development, which is occupied and in use by Matthews, who will relocate their outdoor and water sports shop to Half Moon Street, by Boots.

The application sets out plans to change from retail use, at the 400-square metre unit, running along the side of the development down Paul’s Lane, in the direction of Rory Gallagher Plaza and the city centre.

In its place, the office use, if permitted, would facilitate ground-floor offices for Cork Education and Training Board, which has its main offices in overhead floors.

The expansion of distilling in Midleton, in east Cork, is to be facilitated by a recent grant of permission for a new facility outside the town.

In May of last year, Irish Distillers sought permission from Cork County Council to develop an expanded maturation warehouse, in woodland, at Ballynona North, in Dungourney.

The 10-year permission being sought was for 24 maturation warehouses, in 10 blocks of two, and another block of four warehouses. The proposal was to fell trees, and undertake other site work, to accommodate future warehouse facilities.

After receiving further information in relation to the plans, the local authority decided, a fortnight ago, to give the go-ahead.

The way has been cleared for office use in a Cork City centre development built for retail use.

Padlake Ltd had been awaiting the outcome of a third-party appeal after the city council gave permission, last August, for the proposal relating to Stapleton House, on Oliver Plunkett Street.

But that appeal has been withdrawn, meaning the planned change-of-use of the first, second and third floors, from retail to office, is now approved.

The firm’s application, last April, had also sought approval for the retention of a fourth-floor office at the site.

A memorial garden is planned at the Old Head of Kinsale signal tower, ahead of the centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania off the south Cork coast.

Ahead of the April anniversary, an application to Cork County Council is seeking permission for a Lusitania memorial garden, to include seating, viewing area, and iconic artefact/sculpture memorial features.

The application, by Lusitania Museum/Old Head Signal Tower Heritage Ltd, follows a 2013 application for retention and repair of the signal tower.

Just outside the town of Kinsale, a decision to approve the replacement of a pub with a house on the water-fronting Scilly Walk has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála.

The board has imposed revised conditions, from those set out last August by Cork County Council in relation to the planned demolition of the Spinnaker bar and restaurant. Catherine Kelly had applied, a year ago, to knock the pub and to build a new house and garage on the site, and the council decision had been the subject of third-party appeals.

A previous, similar application, made by a receiver handling the sale of the premises, had received council permission, but that had been overturned by the board.

Plans for amendments to a previously-permitted office development at the City Gate scheme, in Mahon, have been approved by Cork City Council (see related story, p20).

The application, relating to the former Ma/Com site at Loughmahon Link Road, was made in late November by City Gate Plaza Developments Ltd, a firm directed by the adjacent City Gate’s developer, John Cleary Developments. The existing scheme was the subject of plans first lodged in 2007.

The recently-approved proposal was to allow new pedestrian access from the plaza above, and revised design of a permitted retail kiosk to accommodate café or retail use.