THE PROPERTY WORLD moves fast, and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. That’s why, each week, we bring you five of the week’s biggest stories, so you can get the lowdown on the sector in five minutes.
This week, Cork is getting a new event centre, a whiskey plant in Co Westmeath was scuppered, and an iconic Dublin graffiti wall is to be torn down…
The deal is done for a new event centre in Cork city, but it appears that it will cost the taxpayer more than anticipated. The Irish Examiner reports that the State is to spend an extra €10 million on the project, on top of the €20 million already promised.
This is in addition to private investment, which is also being upped. Labour councillor Peter Horgan has said that there has been a “culture of secrecy” surrounding the project’s funding that needs to end.
The blocking of a €138m whiskey plant has been described as a “major loss for the midlands” in terms of jobs and infrastructure. The plant, which was put forward by Vault Whiskey Stores, was blocked on the grounds that it would “scar the landscape” in Moyvore.
The company intended to build a facility where whiskey producers could store and mature their spirits. Vault Whiskey Stores tweeted that they were “surprised and disappointed” by the decision to block their plans, but told Fora.ie that the “plan isn’t dead yet”.
One of Dublin’s most famous graffiti walls, located behind the Bernard Shaw pub, is to be torn down to make way for a redevelopment of the Tom Kelly flats on Charlemont Street. This redevelopment was proposed in the 1990s, but was stalled during the recession.
“It’s a massive shame to be honest with you,” Dublin street artist Vents Dublin told spoke to TheJournal.ie. He is hopeful, however, that there “could be someway of commemorating the wall, so that its legacy can continue”.
The Sunbeam Housing Project has hit a snag after a local vet lodged an appeal against it. The project, which has planning permission for almost 100 new units, was criticised in the appeal due to what is seen as “an overintensification” of the site.
The Veterinary Hospital appeal, lodged on January 5th, says that the plan contradicts the Cork City Development Plan, the Blackpool Local Area Plan and the National Spatial Strategy. It also notes that the development will affect car parking around the business, which has operated since 2004.
Do you commute from home to work – and how happy are you with your journey? A new National Transport Authority (NTA) survey of over 2,500 customers across Ireland has found that the DART leaves the most commuters out in the cold, closely followed by Bus Éireann.
The poll found that 91% of commuters were somewhat satisfied by the services, though this rose for LUAS users (98%) and dipped for DART users (84%). Dissatisfied commuters sought issue with timeliness and value for money, whereas LUAS users praised this aspect of the service. The research is to be repeated by the NTA yearly.
We’re breaking down the complicated world of property jargon, one buzzword at a time. This week, it’s parquet flooring. This is a design involving geometric pieces of wood, used for decorative effect in flooring. You’ll find an example of parquet flooring in 6A Derrynane Gardens, one of this week’s featured homes.
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