THE long-awaited Science and Technology Park at Curraheen — a project designed to deliver 1,000 jobs — is to begin moving forward with two major planning proposals imminent.
An Bord Pleanála is to make a decision by September 21 on plans for a 4/5 storey office and commercial development at the former Cork City FC grounds at Curraheen.
The application has received a significant boost after Cork County Council wrote to An Bord Pleanála confirming that it now supported the proposal after engaging in talks with the developer, Soltaz Ltd.
The County Council had previously rejected the planning application over “mobility concerns” raised by the National Roads Authority, but these issues have since been addressed and the local authority has now thrown its weight behind the project.
The modern office building, geared towards the research and technology sector, would represent the first physical buildings on the giant 100-hectare science park site, which is split into six precincts for each of the six different landowners.
PIC: UCC has a 48-acre site on the science park masterplan area and plans to lodge planning for its first building in the coming weeks.
Separately, University College Cork is preparing to lodge a planning application for its 48-acre precinct within the science park.
The application is expected to be lodged within a few weeks for a 12m, 4,000 sq metre building that would include trial laboratories, conference suites and common areas.
Cork Institute of Technology and Cork County Council, as part of a collaborative approach to developing the park, have pledged some financial support for the UCC development but State funding will also be needed.
The long-term vision for the park is to eventually create physical road linkages to the colleges and create a cluster of research companies working in tandem with the third level institutes.
In order to drive forward the project, a science park company is to create by the stakeholders that will be dedicated to promoting and marketing the park to potential investors.
Deputy chief executive of Cork County Council Declan Daly said:
“The advancement of the science park presents a unique opportunity for Cork to develop the first such facility in the State.”
“Its goals are aligned to our regional, sectoral strengths and are focused on high value innovation and technology. It’s potential to create employment is significant as evidenced in Belfast and elsewhere.”
An economic impact study of the science park has revealed its potential to create 1,000 jobs and deliver a €35m-a-year boost to the local economy within 10 years.