Planning Permission Granted for What Could be Ireland's Tallest in Cork

At a proposed 140 meters, Custom House Tower would be higher than any other building in Ireland.

14 October 2020 | Cork, Ireland

Cork City Council has granted planning permission for what could become the tallest building in Ireland at the old Port of Cork site on Custom House Quay in Cork city.

The new building, proposed to be a mixed-use development, will include a hotel and retail offering as well as what is described by developers Tower Holdings Group as “a substantial maritime culture and heritage attraction."

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Custom House Tower

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The announcement was welcomed by Tower Holdings Group in a statement on Wednesday, 14 October, saying it will “further develop Cork city center's potential for growth in a post Covid-19 era."

The building will stand at 140 meters tall when it is completed, dwarfing the Obel Tower in Belfast (88 meters). It will be almost double the height of The Elysian (68 meters), currently the tallest building in Cork.

Tower Holdings says that the new hotel accommodation will offer “five-star luxury," including a spa, swimming pool, and gym facilities. The new tower will incorporate and restore the historic Custom House, and will feature a skybar and restaurant where visitors “can enjoy locally produced cuisine while taking in a panoramic view of Cork city."

A new interactive visitors center will represent “Cork’s rich maritime heritage as a port” while there will also be retail and food and beverage outlets as part of the development, as well as a new micro-distillery.

Commenting after planning permission was granted by Cork County Council, a spokesperson for Tower Holdings Group said: “We are delighted with this decision from Cork City Council and look forward to the final grant. We assembled one of the best design teams in the world to produce an outstanding design of exceptional quality for this iconic site and the city of Cork.

“We engaged closely with Cork City Council throughout the design process to ensure we satisfied all their requirements, particularly in relation to the conservation and integration approach towards the existing historical buildings," the statement added.

“We have to now fully examine all the planning conditions and certain points of detail to establish their effect on the scheme. Brighter times lie ahead for Cork, and this development will lie at the very heart of them."

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