Atlantic Quarter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Atlantic Quarter is a proposed mixed-use residential and commercial development of 12 buildings on a 5-hectare site in the docklands area of Cork city, in Ireland. The proposal includes three tower-blocks and a new swing bridge over the River Lee.

The €1-billion development was launched on 6 March 2008, with the planning application lodged the following day,[1] and is the largest development ever planned for Cork.[2] It was the first major planning application since the adoption by Cork City Council of the South Docks Local Area Plan on 11 February 2008.[3] The Council's decision on the application is due on 1 May 2008.[4] If planning permission is granted, the developers predict that it will be complete by 2013.[5]

Atlantic Quarter has been described as capable of rivalling Dublin's docklands area and acting as a counterweight to the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin and the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.[2] Ireland's Enterprise Minister, Micheál Martin, welcomed the project as one of the most important developments ever undertaken in Ireland.[2]

Contents

[edit] Location

The site is located to east of Cork City Centre, on the south bank of the River Lee, at the former Ford Motor Company Distribution site in the ‘Marina Precinct’ of the South Docks. It is bounded by Centre Park Road to the north, a link road to the west, Monahan's Road to the south,[4] and adjoins the Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium.[2]

[edit] Developer

The developer is Howard Holdings, a Cork-based property company whose earlier City Quarter project is regarded as the first regeneration project to take place in Cork’s docklands.[6]

The principal architect is London-based Foster and Partners, with other design work by Patel Taylor, Scott Tallon Walker, Wilkinson Eyre, Urban Strategies, HKR Architects, Mitchell and Associates, Arup, White Young Green, DLPKS and Cunnane Stratton Reynolds.[6]

[edit] Buildings

The 1bn euro mixed-use project includes:

  • Three tower-blocks of 30, 20 and 10 storeys in height.
  • 550,000 sq ft (51,000 m²) of office space.
  • A 120,000 sq ft (11,000 m²) event and conference centre capable of hosting over 5,300 people.
  • A 205-room four-star hotel.
  • 575 residential units catering for 1,600 residents.
  • Bars, restaurants, shops and cafes designed to exploit the revamped dockland areas.

The €80m swing bridge, which will open to allow boats use the river, will be the biggest in Europe.[6] Greg Coughlan of Howard Holdings said the bridge was essential for the project to proceed. The developer would design the structure, but wants the Irish government to fund the bridge's €80 million construction cost.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Atlantic Quarter Planning Application. Cork City Council website (7 March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  2. ^ a b c d Ralph Riegel. "IFSC to get €1bn rival in Cork", The Irish Independent, 7 March 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-28. 
  3. ^ South Docks Local Area Plan. Cork City Council website. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  4. ^ a b Atlantic Quarter Planning Application Ref: T.P. 08/32919. Cork City Council website (7 March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-28.
  5. ^ a b Barry Roche. "Plans unveiled for €1bn project to regenerate Cork docklands", The Irish Times, 7 March 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-28. 
  6. ^ a b c Neil Callanan. "Howard Holdings in talks with Hilton group over Cork hotel", Sunday Business Post, 9 March 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-28.