Sweet manufacturer objects to plans for hotel and apartments development in Cork city

A sweet manufacturer in Cork has objected to plans for the development of a 158-bed hotel and over 130 apartments on Kinsale Road.

The submission was made by Luca Brero, Plant Manager, Ferrero Ireland on the application by Denis McBarron which was lodged with City Council in July.

Permission was sought for the development of a 158-bed hotel along with 134 residential other amenities on Kinsale Road.

The current day Ferrero Ireland manufacturing plant on the Kinsale Road has been operating since 1995 and produces Tic Tacs.

In his submission, Mr Brero said their “key concern” is the potential for “significant negative impact” on the operation of the manufacturing plant arising from the proposed development.

"As clearly stated in the applicant's Planning Statement, the character of the surrounding area is that of commercial or light industrial uses.

“This is not a location that is conductive to a residential development of the scale envisaged,” he said.

As the plant operates on a 24/7 basis, Mr Brero said they would be “very concerned” about the close proximity of primarily residential use, including a hotel, of the scale proposed.

“It is considered that the siting of the prosed primarily residential development, in close proximity to our manufacturing plant, would conflict with established neighbouring uses and would be substandard in terms of residential amenity arising from the intensity, nature and proximity of the established land uses.” 

He said they would also be concerned about the new signalized junction on the N27, which is required for the development.

Mr Brero added: “We would also question the need for a further hotel use in the City, given existing provision, and the extent of permitted hotel bedspaces which have not been constructed.” 

The proposed development would comprise 134 apartments, including a mixture of one, two and three-bedrooms.

The construction of the hotel, ranging from six to nine stories in height, was also proposed along with a signalised junction and improvements to the N27 including two bus stops, cycle lanes and footpaths.

The proposed development also includes a three-story neighbourhood centre building in one block, comprising a restaurant, convenience retail store, gym, dentist, hairdressers, a creche and an outdoor amenity on the roof level.

Ferrero Ireland first commenced operations at the Kinsale Road site in 1975 when it was initially a packing facility.