Appeals lodged against Cork Docklands' redevelopment

Animal feed production company Southern Milling expresses 'grave' concerns over redevelopment 

A view of the proposed development on Kennedy Quay. A decision on appeals is not expected until January. 

A planning appeal has been lodged against the first phase of the redevelopment of Cork city's southern docks.

Cork City Council granted permission last month to O’Callaghan Properties (OCP) for the €350m project, on a 4.1-acre plot on the city’s Kennedy Quay.

The plan includes a 122,000sq ft 130-bed rehabilitation hospital, to be owned by French health and nursing home operators Orpea; 450,000sq ft of offices; and two apartment blocks of about 80 units each, one for the rental sector, the other for owner-occupiers.

This phase of the South Docks project has the potential to create approximately 5,000 jobs when fully developed. OCP is also planning to lodge an application shortly for 1,300 apartments on the adjoining Gouldings site in South Docks, under the Large Scale Residential Development (LRD) process.

The South Docks scheme envisages demolition of the early 1900s-built concrete R&H Hall grain silos, which the company says are not adaptable to new purposes. The plans include the repurposing of the iconic red-brick Odlums building on Kennedy Quay, dating to the 1890s and extended upwards in the 1930s.

Last month, planners in City Hall gave the go-ahead for the project attaching 49 conditions. 

Brian O’Callaghan, managing director of OCP, welcomed the decisions stating:

The council’s decision is a really positive confirmation of our project’s potential to create a major driver of economic activity and employment in Cork city centre and a cultural and tourist landmark for years to come.

However, that decision has now been appealed by Southern Milling, who operate an animal feed production facility to the south of the proposed development.

In their original submission to Cork City Council, Southern Milling said they did not object to the site's redevelopment but had "grave" concerns about the current proposal. They supplied their own report that raised issues with the development in an industrial area that generates noise, dust, air quality, and vibration emissions.

The mill employs 60 people producing large volumes of feed for dairy, pig, beef, sheep, and poultry. In their submission, the company said its operations rely on high volumes of heavy goods traffic at all hours, bringing in native wheat and barley from Munster farmers and imported feed from Ringaskiddy, or discharged from shops onto Kennedy Quay.

The developers OCP have also lodged an appeal against one of the planning conditions set down by the Council, in relation to parking.

A planning inspector will now be appointed by An Bord Pleanála to examine the case before making a recommendation to the board. A decision on the matter is not expected until early January.