Cork City Council gives Green light to €200m 'Mahon Point 2.0' project

Plans for a major €200m mixed-use development investment at Mahon Point have been cleared by Cork City Council, subject to 52 conditions.

The project, dubbed ‘Mahon Point 2.0’ is a significant investment to include 251 apartments, an office block for up to 580 workers, a new civic plaza/market square for gatherings such as the weekly farmers markets, a multi-storey car park, a discount retailer, and eight to 10 additional ‘bigger box’ shops — including a large unit to suit a major retailer.

The development will add around 13,000sq m/140,000sq ft additional “demand-led” retail space, on top of the existing 350,000sq ft gross footprint at Mahon Point, plus the existing 45,000sq ft Omniplex.

It will include almost 70,000sq ft of offices with 40 parking spaces at Mahon Point (adding to c 500,000sq ft of offices nearby at City Gate and City Gate Plaza, National Software Centre, etc) and 250 apartments (with 84 parking spaces), with a tenure type yet to be decided.

The centre is separate to Mahon Point Retail Park, which trades nearby. The development is expected to support more than 1,500 permanent jobs, alongside approximately 365 jobs during construction.

Exciting next step

Welcoming the granting of planning permission, Justin Young, centre director at Mahon Point, said it was an “exciting next step”.

“Since first opening its doors in 2005, Mahon Point has firmly established itself as a leading shopping destination for both locals and visitors from across Cork and the wider Munster region,” he said.

“Beyond retail, it has evolved into a vibrant community hub, a place where people come not just to shop, but to meet, connect, and spend time together,” he said.

“The planning approval for Mahon Point 2.0 represents a natural and exciting next step in that journey.

“With this evolution, Mahon Point is well positioned to look forward to a bright and sustainable future.”

Director at Savills Ireland, Peter O’Meara, who has been involved in tenanting the centre for 20 years, said it was a “hugely positive and demand-led development for Cork, responding directly to the city’s projected population growth of 50–60% by 2040”.

“Mahon Point 2.0 will deliver much-needed homes alongside vital social infrastructure, creating a balanced and sustainable community.

“It also represents a significant opportunity to enhance Cork’s economic output by attracting leading Irish and international brands, while strengthening the city’s appeal as a destination for visitors and tourists. 

Growing city

"By prioritising public transport and the 15-minute city model, the development is designed to support how people want to live and move in a growing city, while minimising traffic impact.”

The city council received an application from Deka Immobilien in July last year for the €200m mixed-use investment in Mahon Point and subsequently sought assurance on concerns such as traffic impacts in the area.

Currently, Mahon is relatively car-dependent, with 2,000 parking spaces, the reordering of which will see retail units built on current surface-level parking, as well as a multi-storey replacement that will add just 125 more parking spaces than are currently provided.

Conditions

Several of the conditions attached to the provisional planning grant relate to ensuring the safe operation of the road network. Transport Infrastructure Ireland previously warned that it could add to a “deteriorating traffic situation” in the area.

Other conditions relate to the preparation of a car-park management plan, landscaping, green roofs on retail units, drainage, disposal of building waste, and noise control.

Deka acquired the 60-unit shopping centre with cinema and restaurants from Irish developer Owen O’Callaghan in 2005 and now have €1.5bn in Irish assets.

When Mahon 2.0 is fully developed, it will have a value close to €500m in its own right, according to Mr O’Meara.

He has previously described it as “the country’s premier centre outside of the M50”.