Ireland

Planning permission granted for what will be Ireland's tallest building in Cork

Planning permission has been granted for what will be Ireland's tallest building. An Bord Pleanála yesterday gave the green light for the €140m development at Custom House Quay in Cork city centre, which will stand at 140 metres tall. Picture by RTE
Planning permission has been granted for what will be Ireland's tallest building. An Bord Pleanála yesterday gave the green light for the €140m development at Custom House Quay in Cork city centre, which will stand at 140 metres tall. Pict Planning permission has been granted for what will be Ireland's tallest building. An Bord Pleanála yesterday gave the green light for the €140m development at Custom House Quay in Cork city centre, which will stand at 140 metres tall. Picture by RTE

PLANNING permission has been granted for what will be Ireland's tallest building.

An Bord Pleanála gave the green light for the 140-metre and €140m development at Custom House Quay in Cork city.

The project by New York-based Tower Holdings on the former Port of Cork site, with its iconic Port of Cork sign, includes a 34-storey hotel tower, 25 serviced suites, and a range of commercial uses including retail, office, food and beverage, distillery, tourism and leisure.

Ireland's tallest building is currently the Obel Tower in Belfast, standing at 85 metres high at Donegall Quay on the River Lagan, beside the Lagan Weir.

The decision by An Bord Pleanála yesterday followed an appeal by several parties.

In its 21-page decision, it said it took on board the development of the Cork region as a counter balance to Dublin, as outlined in the National Planning Framework.

It concluded that "the environmental effects would not justify a refusal of planning permission having regard to the overall benefits of the proposed development".

Kevin O'Sullivan, CEO of Tower Holdings Group, welcomed the decision and said he believed the project "will add great value to the city and boost the docklands regeneration".

A start date for the project has not yet been set.