Chief Executive’s Report on Draft Plan Consultation
Volume 2 – Summary of Submissions Received
Cork City Submission No.:
Person:
Organisation:
324
Louise Cotter and David Naessens
Summary of Submission and Observation:
The submission requests the Plan be amended to take on board and respond to the following specific issues.
Architectural Heritage
• The policy in recent years has been to support the retention of historic structures in part by keeping only the façade, or worse allowing new buildings to be built over and around them. Examples are seen on Lavitt’s Quay, Horgan’s Quay and Albert Quay. This practice is a travesty and neither respects the innate character and context of the historic structures nor the adoption of sound architectural composition in contemporary design. What may seem like a successful compromise actually defeats the purpose of an authentic architectural response to context. • There is little support, it would seem, for twentieth century architecture in this city and we would urge Cork City Council to review their policy and consider the protection of buildings which represent the best in class for their time. It would be remiss not to mention Frank Murphy ’s masterpiece, the Irish Distillers Bottling Plant, which is facing demolition. This wonderful building is a major asset for the city and every effort should be made to seize the opportunity to capitalise on this for the benefit of all. • Much has already been written on the problems of vacancy and dereliction. Schemes such as the Living City Initiative have not been successful as the Special Regeneration Areas are limited geographically and the pre- 1915 requirement does not recognise the value of twentieth century buildings. We would support more active strategies on releasing spaces in the city, of which there are many lying idle.
Biodiversity
• Stronger implementation of protection for the northern ridges in particular. Recent developments in Montenotte have resulted in the loss of tree cover and fundamentally altered the views from the Marina for example. • The Plan demonstrates the value of biodiversity in the city. Why then is there support for the flood protection project in Blackpool with its profoundly negative and irreversible destruction of the natural habitat once the Bride river is culverted. There are other options and it is not too late to change tack and incorporate a better more sustainable solution where everyone wins. This project goes against the current trajectory where cities are opening up and rediscovering their rivers. Examples are Los Angeles, Seoul, San Antonio and Singapore. The benefits to these urban places include increased biodiversity, amenity for humans, reduced flooding by the use of bio-engineered solutions and attenuation upstream and improved acoustic environment.
Plant more trees please!
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Response and Recommendation to issues located in:
Volume 1, part 3 under Chapter 3, 5, 6 & 8 & 11
148
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