GrantedCommercialDecided 9 March 2022

The Carey Tool Hire Site Albert Quay, bounded by Albert Quay East to the north, Albert Street to the west Albert Road to the south

A major office development of up to 16 storeys is proposed for Albert Quay, including the refurbishment of two protected structures.

2140237 · Cork City Council · Lodged 28 May 2021

Reference: 2140237
Authority: Cork City Council
Register status: Decided
Type: PERMISSION
Received: 28 May 2021

Summary

AI-generated

The proposal consists of an office building ranging from 1 to 16 storeys over two basement levels, featuring external terraces, a ground floor café, and parking. The project also includes the refurbishment and reuse of two protected structures (former railway offices and ticket office) for office and public bar/restaurant use.

Commercialofficehigh riseheritageregeneration

Storeys: 16

Generated from the description above by an AI model and may contain mistakes. The council’s description is the authoritative record.

Official record

Development description

Permission for an office building of between 1-5-12-14-16 storeys over ground floor, including plant (parapet height +77.525); external terraces at levels 2, 6, 13, and 15; meeting space at level 15, which is also to be used for external events; and two levels of basement which accommodates car parking, cycle spaces, and motorbike spaces. The proposed office buildings are designed for single and/or multiple office users and provides for general offices and /or business and technology uses and/or office based industry uses. The proposed development includes a ground floor café/deli with outdoor seating area, and the refurbishment and reuse of 2no. Protected structures, the two-storey former cork, blackrock and passage railway offices, ref. No. Ps 1137, and the adjoining single-storey former blackrock and passage railway terminus – ticket office, ref. No. Ps 1138, which is also a recorded monument, co074-119002, which are to be retained and initially reused as a temporary construction compound for the proposed development, and then refurbished as part of the proposed development for office use and public bar/restaurant use with outdoor seating area respectively. The total above ground gross floor area proposed is 23,054m2 (including existing buildings). The proposed development also includes the demolition of the existing two-storey carey tool hire building and all ancillary structures, and the retention of the albert road post box (protected structure ref. No. Ps942). The proposed development also includes pedestrian accesses from albert quay east and albert street, the omission of the existing vehicular access from alfred street, and the repositioning of the existing vehicular access from albert quay east. The proposed development includes all site development; drainage; plant, including substations; and public realm and landscaping works, including a sculpture. The planning application is accompanied by an environmental impact assessment report (eiar) and a natura impact statement (nis).

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

City CentreUC

“To consolidate and facilitate the development of the central area and to promote its role as a dynamic mixed used centre for community, economic, civic, cultural and residential growth.”

National zoning type: City/Town/village Centre, central area

Objective set by the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 (2022–2028). The planning authority decides each application on its own merits — this is the zoning context, not a compliance assessment.

Read the zoning objectives in the development plan

Built & sold

What happened next

Beyond the decision: whether this development was built, and what property here has sold for.

Recent sales nearby

within 500 m

Residential Property Price Register sales within 500 metres of this site
Address	Date	Price	Distance
6 Hibernian Buildings, Albert Road, Cork	Oct 2025	€240,000	122 m
75 Hibernian Buildings, Albert Road, Cork	Oct 2025	€295,000	172 m
19 Hibernian Buildings, Albert Rd, Cork	Sept 2025	€273,150	175 m
9 Elizabeth Terrace, Albert Rd, Cork	Jan 2026	€285,000	216 m
27 Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City, Co. Cork	Jun 2026	€230,000	223 m
7 Parkview Terrace, Victoria Rd, Cork	Jan 2026	€601,100	257 m
2 Marina Terrace, Albert Rd, Cork	Mar 2026	€352,000	263 m
4 Kingston Avenue, Victoria Road, Cork	Jun 2025	€566,000	291 m

Nearby properties, not this site — a guide to local values.

Sources: Building Control Management System (commencement notices) and the Residential Property Price Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Records are matched to this application by location and may not be exhaustive; always confirm against the official source before relying on them.

Key dates

Timeline

Application received28 May 2021
Decision due10 March 2022
Decision issued9 March 2022
Grant issued20 April 2022

In the area

Applications near this site

Other planning applications within about 500 m — what else is being proposed or built nearby.

Related developments

Similar applications

Ranked by what these developments actually propose, not by matching words — so you can see how comparable applications were decided.

Community

Discussion

What local people think about this application.

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