Planning granted for Mahon hotel in Cork despite TII objections
A Green 10 Jacob’s By An The Storey Pleanála Been Has Hotel New Given Light For Bord Planned Island
A new 10-storey hotel planned for Jacob’s Island in Mahon has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála, despite an objection being lodged by a State body to the plans 15 months ago.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland, whose function is to deliver and operate the country’s national road network, had initially lodged the appeal claiming the proposed development would “put at risk the public investment made and being made in the M8, N40 and associated junctions”.
TII said the plans for the 165-bed hotel at Jacob’s Island, alongside separate plans for almost 500 homes on an adjacent site, represent an “intensification of development which will create a further unacceptable impact on the operation, capacity and safety of the N40” ring road around Cork.
Hibernia Star Ltd first applied to Cork City Council for development, that would also include a 10,632 square metre office building over seven storeys.
The developers said the proposed office and hotel buildings are a “direct response to the evolving nature of Mahon and the forthcoming Light Rail Transit” as envisaged in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.
“On a macro scale Jacob’s Island represents the gateway to Cork City when approached from the Jack Lynch Tunnel,” it said. “There are no hotels currently provided for in the Mahon area. In comparison, hotels are provided both east and west of the Dunkettle Interchange.”
Planning documents also said the hotel and office space could provide around 1,144 jobs in the future.
In its submissions, TII cited official policy regarding planning around national roads and said the proposed development would “adversely affect the operation and safety of the national road network”.
It pointed to government policy which states that planning authorities should take heed of applications “where such development could generate significant additional traffic with potential to impact on the national road”.
The policy said the capacity of roads and locations of interchanges are determined during the planning process for the road and that care should be taken for proposals for developments at these sites.
TII said: “The Exchequer has funded, at substantial cost, significant improvements in this area to facilitate the achievement of a range of official policy objectives.” It added that if this proposal were to go ahead it “could lead to a proliferation of such inappropriate developments which would adversely affect the operational efficiency and safety of national road network”.
With the matter then with An Bord Pleanála, one of its inspectors prepared a report which was completed in October.
“I acknowledge the concerns expressed by the TII and its remit to safeguard the carrying capacity, operational efficiency and safety of strategic national roads network,” she said, adding that the reduced level of car parking and increased level of bicycle parking was a “suitable mitigation measure”.
“Without doubt, I am of the opinion that the proposed development will lead to increased traffic movements in the general vicinity and will contribute to congestion, in particular at junctions,” she said.
"However, I am of the opinion that this is an urban area and some level of congestion is to be anticipated at such locations.”
An Bord Pleanála granted permission last week, 15 months after the original application.
Separately, Hibernia Star Ltd has also applied for planning permission for 489 apartments on the same site at Jacobs Island in June 2022. A decision from An Bord Pleanála is still pending.