The development of Cork city’s Docklands has been hailed as a ‘game changer’ with work under way to deliver one of Ireland’s largest regeneration projects, to include residential accommodation, schools, community and sports facilities, and the potential to yield €5.1 billion in private investment.
Guided by the Cork City Development Plan, the Docklands development has already begun, with €353.4 million allocated through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), alongside over €500 million of private sector investment. Ann Doherty chief executive of Cork City Council, said the development was focused on building homes, creating jobs and transforming an underused area of the city.
“It’s a project with the potential for 10,000 new homes, 25,000 jobs, accommodating up to 20 per cent of the city’s projected population growth and the potential to yield €5.1 billion in private sector investment. It will provide six new schools, 5,000 metres of waterfront, 10 hectares of quayside amenity space - over 25 per cent of the area has been allocated for parks and open spaces, sport and community facilities. It’s Ireland’s largest and most ambitious regeneration project transforming an underutilised part of the city into a place of choice to live and work.”
Green city
“And it’s not just a dream, because the project is under way, and we have the funding. We have a plan that aligns fully with the National Planning Framework, a strategy for multi-annual government investment to deliver the enabling infrastructure required to unlock the Docklands and significant private sector investment.
“The development is within walking distance of the city centre so not only are you regenerating a former industrial area but you’re also growing the heart of Cork city”.
Doherty said Cork’s population growth is set to double over the next 16 years, and the ambitious Docklands development will serve to house one quarter of those people.
“Our city is set to grow by 50 per cent by 2040, so that’s an additional 110,000 people to be accommodated in the city and 20 per cent of the population growth can be accommodated by the Docklands growth with the balance spread across all parts of the city,” she said.
“The role of the Docklands is significant in that. Across the rest of the city, we have invested around €2.5 billion. This will be invested in the city to manage that growth sustainably, using the principles of infrastructure led development meaning that residents and communities can live close to public transport, walking, cycling and access to education and amenities.
“Cork City Council and our public sector partners are working to deliver €1.9 billion on housing, €120 million on walking and cycling facilities, €200 million on rail and light rail planning, €190 million on the Docklands, €40 million on flood prevention, €45 million on a new library in the city centre, and €25 million on public realm on the Grand Parade and Bishop Lucey park in the city centre, and then a €14 million investment on Marina Park, which is in the Docklands.
“The commencement of the Morrison’s Island Public Relam and Flood Defence Scheme was announced just this week. There’s a lot happening.
“There are currently over 6,000 jobs located in the Docklands at developments such as One Albert Quay, Horgan’s Quay, Penrose Quay and Navigation Square. Many FDI employers have located to the Docklands – attracted by Cork’s educated workforce, quality office space and the central accessible riverside location – including Qualcomm, Apple, Cloudera and NetApp. Expansion plans for several of these employers are linked to the progression of the plans for commercial and residential developments in the Docklands.”
North Quays
Partnerships with the Land Development Agency (LDA) have already seen work commence throughout the Docklands on residential projects.
“This is a marathon not a sprint. Commercial office space developments have created significant employment in the Cork Docklands and the first residential scheme comprising 302 apartments has commenced at the North Quays, which is a LDA development in partnership with Clarendon,” said Doherty. “On the south side, both Glenveagh Homes and O’Callaghan Properties have qualified for the panel of homebuilders recently announced by the LDA. They both have sites ready for development and with planning for more than 1,000 homes. We are hoping the LDA will work with landowners and developers to get some of those sites moving by the end of the year.
“Apartment viability has been an issue in Cork for some time so it’s great to see Horgan’s Quay has commenced in the last month or two. Cork City Council also has its own very ambitious programme and is delivering social and affordable homes on multiple sites right across the city.”
The development of the Cork Docklands Framework Masterplan is ongoing and due to be launched later this year. The objective of the masterplan is to distil the overarching national and local policy into a cohesive strategy that enables sustainable growth, while adhering to international best practices for urban design.
“The plans for the Cork Docklands also align with the Port of Cork’s plans to move their port operations downstream and consolidate all activities in the lower harbour. Ringaskiddy has already seen massive investment with extensions of infrastructure to support the port activity,” she said.
“At the moment, the Port of Cork has city quays activity, it has Tivoli, and it has Ringaskiddy, and over time, all that activity will be based at Ringaskiddy.
“We have already agreed with the Port of Cork a way we can access the lands in the city’s quays to allow for development. That’s been a huge achievement and I acknowledge the work from the Port of Cork executive and the board in facilitating that happening.
“The masterplan will also see major infrastructure boosts for the area, with three new city docks bridges providing connectivity between the north and south docks, and Tivoli Docks.
“The pedestrianisation of quays and the enhancement of the existing road network will allow wider connectivity, enabling 75 per cent of journeys to be made by walking, cycling and public transport.
“The investment by Iarnród Éireann in Kent Station and the Cork Commuter Rail network will see Kent Station become a transport hub, with the enhanced Cork Suburban Rail network, InterCity services, BusConnects services, and the Light Rail corridor”
“The history of the Docklands is fascinating and has always been one of regeneration and change. Since the completion of Navigation Wall in the late 1700s right through to Ford, Dunlops and the Cork dockers, it has always been a site that has defined the city
“Now it is transitioning into a place not only of employment but of leisure and living. We want it to be a template for sustainable living which is another hugely exciting opportunity for our city.”