Withdrawal of Passage docks sale ‘Brexit-linked'

FUNDS secured for the purchase of the dockyards in Passage West will remain intact should the owners decide to put it back on the market, according to the County Council. 

At a recent meeting of the local authority, Cllr Frick Murphy (SF) sought a suspension of standing orders over the announcement that Doyle Shipping Group had withdrawn the eight-acre dockyard from sale which he described as a ‘big blow’ to the area.

Cllr Seamus McGrath (FF) said the news came as ‘a bit of a bombshell’ to members in the Municipal District when they heard that the property had been taken off the market.

‘We had no indication that it was coming our way and  there was great hope in Passage West when the announcement from the URDF (Urban Regeneration Development Fund) of €1.9m was announced for the purchase of the dockyard,’ said Cllr McGrath.

‘It gave great hope to the local people. 

‘That site is in the heartland of Passage West town and it’s critical for the future development of the town. It could transform the town.’ 

Cllr McGrath urged everyone in the Council not to take this item off the agenda and said that while the allocation of funding secured was for 2019 it was still early in the year.

‘This is hopefully a temporary decision by Doyle Shipping Group to do with Brexit and do with plans to be announced by the Port of Cork. 

‘They have obviously taken a commercial decision, but we at Cork County Council need to pursue our objective of purchasing the dockyard and that is critical.’

Cllr Marcia D’Alton (Ind) asked how long the Council could hold onto to the funding that they received and said that the purchase of this site would make Passage West the ‘gateway town’ for Cork city.

Cork County Council chief executive Tim Lucey said they haven’t received any notification about the funding that they secured and he said he assumes that the €1.9m will still be on offer should the vendors decide to put the dockyards back on the market.

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