This submission seeks a revision to the draft zoning for the lands as a new Strategic Employment Location for the north of the City to facilitate the development of a new sustainable Business Park for light industry and related uses. This would more appropriately reflect the site’s context, being located within Cork City boundary, contiguous to the existing built up area of the City, as a natural and logical extension to the existing Gateway Business Park, Northpoint Business Park, North Link Business Park, and Mallow Road Motors in the north of the City and would also assist Cork City Council in implementing the ambitious jobs targets for the City in the context of national and regional planning policy.

Given the significant unmet demand for such uses in Cork, were the Council to rezone these lands for Light Industry and Related Uses, permission for the proposed Business Park would be sought immediately and, assuming a positive outcome, will be constructed in the short-term.

We respectfully submit that the proposed lands to be rezoned represents a strategic opportunity for the City to deliver a significant Business Park in a highly sustainable location with good access to public transport promoted by a developer with a proven track record for delivering large employment generating projects in the immediate vicinity and indeed other parts of Cork City.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Council have identified other locations in the draft Plan for potential light industrial uses, this site, which is in the control of one developer, has a much higher probability of being delivered and contributing to the economic prosperity of the city during the lifetime of the draft Plan under consideration.