Uncertainty over future of Cork’s Marina Market following decision to refuse retention planning

The future of Cork’s Marina Market has been thrown into uncertainty after a retention planning application and proposed plans to extend the market’s footprint have been rejected by Cork City Council.

In January, applicants CPR Properties Cork Limited lodged a planning application seeking permission to maintain their use of the site as a market/food emporium with a further request to create an event and function/gallery space as well as a coffee roasterie and a health and lifestyle store.

They also sought permission to construct a mezzanine to facilitate seating within the food emporium and the removal of nine car parking spaces to facilitate the provision of a parcel pickup depot.

CPR Properties Cork Limited’s application also included a request for permission to provide 44 bike parking spaces and a bike rental hub.

The planning statement accompanying the application said that Marina Market “is a bustling addition to the currently underutilised Central Docklands”.

“A disused warehouse in [the] city’s port area has been transformed into a thriving and vibrant food and craft market attracting people of all ages.

“Repurposing old industrial buildings in a similar way could breathe new life into urban communities,” it continued.

Submissions 

A number of submissions were made regarding the planning application, including one from Doyle Shipping Group (DSG).

“While DSG has no objection in principle against the proposed development, the application does not deal with the very significant operational issues and conflicts that currently arise on foot of this development,” the submission claimed.

“Our primary concern in relation to the existing ‘Marina Market’, for which retention is being sought, is for the safety of members of the public.

“The establishment of the Marina Market has resulted in a large increase in members of the public including young families walking down along Kennedy Quay on a daily basis, especially at weekends.

“Unauthorised parking in working areas on the quayside has also become an issue,” the submission added.

Concerns were also expressed in a submission made on behalf of the Port of Cork Company (PoCC).

The submission noted that the existing carpark for the Marina Market is to the north of the warehouse site, with access from Kennedy Quay.

“This has resulted in a significant increase in non-commercial/non-industrial traffic through the PoCC lands at Kennedy Quay.

“As Kennedy Quay is still a working quay the level of non-port/non-industrial traffic generated by the unauthorised use is wholly incompatible with the capacity for the port and port customers to carry out their operations safely.

“It is not only vehicular traffic that is a concern to the PoCC but also the increase in pedestrians and cyclists traversing the quays,” the submission stated.

The submission also claimed there has been “unregulated parking on the PoCC lands at Kennedy Quay and overspill on the adjacent City Council roads”.

Decision 

Cork City Council had sought further information before making a decision on the application.

The local authority stated that should matters raised be “addressed appropriately”, it would consider a grant of planning permission “limited in duration to period of five-years maximum”.

The city council ultimately decided to refuse permission, saying it considered the road infrastructure on Kennedy Quay to be “insufficient for the existing and proposed use which will generate increased pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicle volumes on Kennedy Quay over and above historical use”.

Planners said they considered that would lead to an “increased risk of pedestrian and vehicular conflict on Kennedy Quay” that would be “likely to endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard and obstruction of road users and be detrimental to road safety”.

They also said the proposed development “falls almost entirely within the Middle Land Use Planning Zone of the neighbouring COMAH establishment Gouldings Chemicals Ltd and as such is located in an area where it is necessary to limit the risk of there being any serious danger to human health or the environment.” 

CPR Properties Cork Limited has four weeks to appeal the decision with An Bord Pleanála.