‘900 staff’ could be employed in Cork city's redeveloped Queen’s Old Castle

AN Bord Pleanála has upheld Cork City Council’s decision to grant planning permission for a redevelopment of Cork’s historic Queen’s Old Castle.

In December, the council green-lit proposals from City Properties (Cork) Limited for a range of conservation, demolition, refurbishment, and alteration works to allow for the construction of a retail and office development at 84-89 Grand Parade.

The mixed-use development includes plans to construct a part three, part four, part six and part seven storey office block, which would have the capacity to cater for over 900 employees.

City Properties (Cork) Limited was granted permission for the development with 29 conditions attached but the redevelopment of the landmark premises was later put on hold following an appeal submitted by An Taisce Corcaigh.

In its appeal report, An Taisce argued that the proposed scheme required “significant revisions” to its design and a reduction in height “so as to provide a better integration of this building into this historic city centre location”.

Before making a decision on the planning application, Cork City Council had sought further information, stating that it had some concerns around the proposals, including the proposed height and massing of the scheme.

The council also suggested that the applicant should reconsider the dark colour palette for the taller element “to reduce the visual bulk of the proposed development”.

MEETING

A meeting with the council and the applicant’s design team took place in early November to discuss options to address the concerns raised.

A number of design options and material studies were presented and explored at this meeting, which centred around amendments to the proposed seven-storey scheme versus a revised six-storey scheme.

Following this meeting, the council confirmed that the preferred design option was the seven-storey scheme, where the top-level plant area has a lightened external finish.

In its appeal, An Taisce acknowledged the developers had made some amendments to the design of the building to address concerns regarding overshadowing of neighbouring properties but said it felt the scheme had been approved “largely as submitted”.

An Bord Pleanála has now given the green light to the development with ten routine conditions attached.

In its ruling, the board said that, having regard to the zoning objective for the area and the provisions of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, together with the pattern, character, and appearance of development in the area, it considered the proposed development would constitute “an appropriate form of development” at the location and that it “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity” and would be acceptable in terms of urban design and surrounding residential amenity.