BAM ‘cannot facilitate’ temporary use of vacant Cork City site on Sullivan's Quay

The leader of the Green Party on Cork City Council, councillor Dan Boyle, has now called for a “negotiated settlement” to secure productive use of the site for the public.

“When it comes to the demolition of the former tax office building, the storing of rubble on the site, and the general neglect of the site over the last few years, this company has been less than honourable in their dealings on this site,” he said.

“They haven’t indicated how they intend to proceed. And with uncertainty now over the future of this site — and it is a valuable site — I think there should be a negotiated settlement to secure more productive use of it.”

The site will also be subject to the new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) which will apply annually at a rate of 3% of the market value of the land from next year.

The local authority’s move to include the site in the RZLT was not contested.

Mr Boyle led calls this month for consideration to be given to short-term or meanwhile use of the site where the former Revenue Commissioners building was located until its demolition in 2018.

But in a statement to the Irish Examiner, BAM said it cannot facilitate such ‘meanwhile use’ at the moment.

It is understood the company has considered a ‘meanwhile use’ request but it has cited health and safety issues and insurance requirements which they say make it “prohibitive at the moment”. A spokesman said:

BAM is continuing to review options for the development of the Sullivan’s Quay site in light of changing market conditions. Construction inflation and rising interest rates continue to affect numerous projects across Ireland.

BAM acquired the site from the Revenue Commissioners in 2006, two years before the tax office moved to Blackpool.

The company was granted planning a year later for offices and a 183-bed hotel on the site, but that project was shelved during the economic crash.

In November 2017, BAM was granted conditional planning by the city council for a larger scheme to include a 193-bedroom hotel in a 12-storey cylindrical tower, and a six-storey 8,000 sqm office block — a decision which was subsequently appealed.

During the appeal process, the developers allowed an artists’ collective to use the vacant office block.

But when An Bórd Pleanála subsequently upheld the council’s planning decision on the larger hotel and office project in June 2018, the building was demolished.

However, the site was branded an eyesore after a large mound of rubble was left on the site for over a year, in breach of the planning conditions, producing mini dust-storms during dry weather.

Following engagement with City Hall, BAM levelled the rubble mound but the council had to open planning enforcement proceedings to force BAM to remove the rubble fully, which was done by mid-2020.

The site lies just across the river from where BAM and Live Nation have been trying to deliver a 6,000-capacity event centre since its sod was turned in 2016.