New 165-bedroom hotel and office development planned for Cork suburb

A PLANNING application for a new hotel and office development on Jacob’s Island has been lodged with Cork City Council.

Hibernia Star Limited is seeking permission for the mixed-use development, to be provided in two buildings at a site on the peninsula with immediate frontage to the N40 South Ring Road and the South Link Bridge at the entrance to Jacob’s Island.

The proposed hotel would contain 165 bedrooms, meeting rooms, a bar/restaurant, café and back of house facilities in a part-one to part-10 storey over basement building.

The office building will provide 8,361 sqm net office floor area and ancillary staff facilities over part-four to part-seven storeys.

The proposed development will also provide for hard and soft landscaping, car parking, bicycle parking, storage, ESB substations, plant rooms, and all ancillary site development works above and below ground.

Documents

In documentation submitted with the application, it states that Mahon is “one of Cork’s most sustainable and successful development locations and is earmarked for considerable growth and investment in the coming years, which will further enhance its status and attractiveness as a place to work and visit”.

It says the subject application represents “an excellent opportunity to strategically present Jacob’s Island as a gateway location in Cork and enhance Mahon as an economic cluster” by encouraging foreign direct investment (FDI) to locate in the area.

The proposed hotel would, the applicants argue, provide “a complimentary use and contribute to the creation of a high-quality environment”.

The planning statement says that, based on 2016 CSO statistics, Jacob’s Island has the potential to facilitate a resident population of around 3,100 people.

“The proposed hotel and office development will provide circa 1,144 jobs, therefore, providing a choice of employment on Jacob’s Island and reducing the need for residents to commute beyond Mahon for employment.

“It is anticipated that Mahon has the potential to account for 5.29% of ICT jobs in Cork city,” the planning statement continues.

The applicants also state that “the principle of mixed-use development comprising a hotel and office has been well established on Jacob’s Island with mixed-use development including office and hotel uses previously permitted by Cork City Council”.

Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the application by mid-March.