Cork development: permission granted for major city centre office project

PLANNING permission has been granted for a new office development on Penrose Quay.

The go-ahead has been given for the twin office buildings that will be located next to the under-construction Penrose Dock development.

Bandon company Karamex Ltd had lodged plans to demolish the existing red-brick buildings on the site currently occupied by Oxford International.

In their place, they proposed the construction of a six-storey building facing Penrose Quay with a rooftop terrace and solar panels along with a seven-storey building facing on to Alfred Street with a ground-floor cafe.

Planners had previously asked Karamex to drop one floor from the building facing Alfred Street and also asked them to significantly reduce the 72 planned basement parking spaces.

The company responded in recent weeks, asking City Hall to reconsider their request arguing that a reduction in height was "unwarranted and unnecessary."

They also defended their plans for 72 parking spaces, saying the office will generate employment for up to 800 people which is 1 space per 11 employees.

This week, planners in City Hall granted permission for the development, attaching 30 conditions.

The area of Penrose Quay and Horgan's Quay is currently a hive of construction activity with new office buildings and a hotel currently under construction with plans also lodged recently for a new residential development.