Port of Cork Company to press on with road upgrade plans at Tivoli Docks

The Port of Cork Company (PoCC) has said it will apply “in due course” for a controversial road upgrade at its Tivoli Docks site more than two months after the plans were supposed to have been lodged.

In November, the PoCC had said that it would be applying imminently for planning permission to upgrade access to the site with a view to future residential development there.

In line with its masterplan 2050, PoCC intends to consolidate its port operations at Ringaskiddy and Marino Point and transition out of Tivoli Docks and City Quays in the medium to long term.

A report published by the Land Development Agency last year identified that the site could facilitate the development of up to 6,510 homes, but there were high transport and other infrastructural requirements at the site. This means delivering the homes would cost between €1.59bn-€2.14bn.

The Tivoli plans include a new eastern multi-modal road, bus, and cycleway interchange infrastructure at the Glanmire Rd roundabout, the removal of the existing roundabout, the enabling of free-flow traffic, and an upgraded, western multi-modal access at Silversprings — also with road, bus, and cycleway infrastructure.

Bombshell

The plans were described as a “bombshell” and “preposterous” at the time by local councillors, who expressed concern that the company would be applying for such a large piece of road infrastructure by way of a private planning permission.

A PoCC spokesperson told The Echo the company “can confirm progress on the Tivoli infrastructure project is ongoing, with the intention to submit a formal planning application to Cork City Council in due course”. 

“The PoCC is following a best-practice planning approach, including extensive consultation with Cork City Council and other state agencies, to ensure alignment with local and national planning frameworks.”

Green party councillor Oliver Moran said it is his understanding that the application will include a revision to the eastward connection to the Dunkettle Interchange. He added: “I’ve yet to see what that revision will be, but it was something incredible to me that port traffic didn’t intend to connect to the motorway or tunnel in a way that anyone would expect.

“I would still have serious misgivings about the port using the Northern Distributor Rd for port activities, if that is the plan. When it comes to making a submission, I may suggest a condition of planning preventing that. The Northern Distributor Rd is intended as residential, with houses facing onto the road, pedestrian crossings, and so on.”