New plans for Sullivan's Quay development
New plans have been lodged by BAM Property Ltd for the development of student accommodation on Sullivan’s Quay.
BAM initially submitted a proposal for student accommodation on the site on 5 February. However, Cork City Council requested further information and amendments to the proposal.
The new proposal consists of 63 purpose-built student accommodation apartments with 495 beds in total – down from 503 beds - which will be spread across two blocks ranging from 5-11 storeys tall. The apartments will contain 4-8 bedrooms each.
Changes have also been made to the proposed size of some of the buildings.
In correspondence to Cork City Council, BAM said: “The middle volume of Block A has reduced by one floor, and two floors have been added to the tower element from that originally proposed.”
Aside from the apartments, amenities are to be provided for tenants, including a reception area, landscaped communal courtyard, gymnasium, entertainment room, student hub, bin stores, and bicycle stores.
Bicycle storage has been increased from the originally proposed 210 spaces, to 250 spaces.
There will also be a ground-floor café and retain unit, which will be accessible from Sullivan’s Quay, Drinan Street, Cove Street, and Meade Street, as well as a new loading bay on Sullivan’s Quay.
The development will require the removal of an ESB substation on-site.
The request for further information from the council was sent to BAM in April this year. It requested reductions to the size of one of the buildings, and a change in the materials used to keep the development more in line with the character of the surrounding area.The council also requested a traffic management plan for the development.
A decision on the development from Cork City Council is due on 17 August.
The site formerly held the Cork office of the Revenue Commissioners before it was moved to Blackpool in 2008. BAM bought the site that same year. Plans for a hotel development on the site were shelved following the financial crash.
In 2018, BAM were provided permission for a 193-bed hotel and cylindrical tower, but this failed to progress.
The former tax office building was demolished in 2019, and the one-acre site has been blocked by hoardings since.