Hospice’s change of use to college is not planning exempt
Griffith College Cork had sought an order, in 2013, from Cork City Council, that changing the building to residential college use was exempted development. However, the council decided the works would constitute development that was not exempt, and a second referral was submitted to the council in April last year.
The council again declared that the use of the hospital by Griffith College would not constitute a residential college, meaning it could not be exempted. This was appealed by the college to An Bord Pleanála, but an application was submitted, in the meantime, to permit classrooms on the ground floor of the convent building on the Wellington Road site.
While this was granted last July, and classes have moved there, the change-of-use of the main four-storey building was still with the board. Part of the building is in temporary use by St Angela’s College, a girls’ secondary school, whose nearby accommodation is being extended.
An Bord Pleanála’s decision was that, even with the college’s estimate of accommodation being provided on-site for 10% to 20% of students, it would not constitute residential-college use.
Work can proceed on the first Wetherspoons bar in Cork City, following a recent decision of An Bord Pleanála. It has granted permission for works to the former Newport Bar, on Rory Gallagher Plaza, and the adjoining former Mangan’s nightclub. They will form a large bar and restaurant on the ground and first floors, with a smoking terrace on the second floor of the Carey’s Lane building, in line with the application approved by Cork City Council last August.
A third-party appeal was concerned about the impact of the business and construction work, but those have been dealt with by conditions. The outdoor café use on Rory Gallagher Plaza was not considered, but may be the subject of a separate licence application for outdoor seating. The work is estimated to take 20 weeks.
JD Wetherspoon Plc was also last month asked for further information by Cork County Council in relation to the proposed change of use to a bar/restaurant of a building in Douglas village, formerly used as a Permanent TSB branch.
A heritage centre in the Cork City convent and burial place of Presentation Sisters founder, Nano Nagle, has been approved.
The city council had granted permission last June for the works, to the South Presentation site bounded by Douglas Street, Abbey Street, Nicholas Street and Evergreen Street. But a third-party appeal, mainly concerned with a café on-site, meant the file had to be considered by An Bord Pleanála, which has this month given its approval.
The heritage centre will be in the 19th-century chapel, while a four-storey building will be for third-level education.
An appeal has been withdrawn against planning permission for a large housing scheme in Dublin’s northside. Ballymore Estates Ltd applied in July of last year to build 152 houses and 91 apartments, as well as a 2,000sq m supermarket and smaller shops, at Royal Canal Park, Rathoath Road, in Pelletstown, Dublin 15.
Cork City Council has permitted the sub-division of a landmark shop on St Patrick’s Street. The former Moderne building, at nos 89-90, St Patrick’s Street, was the subject of an application before Christmas, from Michelle McManus, to divide it into two retail units. One would be at nos 6-8, French Church Street, a protected structure, the other at the main St Patrick’s Street frontage and incorporating nos 9-11, French Church Street.
The application says the original plot arrangements will be reinstated and a further application for full conservation and renovation will be submitted for nos 6-8 French Church Street, once a new tenant is on board.
Cork County Council has been asked to extend planning previously permitted for 57 houses and two childcare facilities, outside Kinsale. Gerry Gannon’s Gannon Homes Ltd has applied in relation to a site at Rathmore/Rath Beg, to extend the permission granted on foot of a 2006 submission.
Late last year, the same applicant had sought to reduce the number of houses from 201 to 161 houses. Planning officials asked for further information at the end of January.
