A brilliant boost for Bantry
A rendering of the new venue (Image: West Cork Music)
Planning permission has been granted for a new state-of-the-art music and events centre in West Cork, offering a new venue for concerts and a fantastic resource for musicians to share and develop their craft.
An application for the new facility was lodged in April of this year, seeking permission to demolish an old retail warehouse and construct a new creative space on the site. The building will feature a large auditorium which incorporates a 271-seat performance hall, a new reception and ticket office, as well as all the functional behind-the-scenes rooms needed to get shows on the road.
The arts venue will also include a linked three-storey education hub housing rehearsal rooms, a multi-purpose performance space, and a café/bar on the ground floor. Permission was also granted for car and bike parking, landscaping works and other necessary site works.
The plans were broadly approved without major modifications, although planners removed several proposed flagpoles in the interest of visual amenity. Only one observation was made in respect of the application, and the plans were approved subject to 20 conditions.
The conditions place particular emphasis on the noise levels permitted at the venue, and an acoustic consultant will be required to submit a report to the council before development begins. Noise levels in the surrounding area are not permitted to exceed 55dBA, which is about the same noise level generated by a normal conversation heard from a short distance away.
The venue has been a dream of West Cork Music for more than three decades, and they were delighted to hear of the approval.
“For thirty years we have dreamed of creating a permanent home for the performing arts and arts education in West Cork, and this decision brings that dream significantly closer to reality,” said Francis Humphrys, CEO of West Cork Music. “We’re delighted that planning has been granted, and that the final grant of permission is expected in the coming weeks. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has supported us to reach this point.”
The approval was also welcomed by West Cork TD Christopher O’Sullivan, who described it as a very positive development for both Bantry and West Cork more broadly.
He said: “West Cork Music, who have for decades brought us the Chamber Music Festival, Masters of Tradition and the West Cork Literary Festival, have for a number of years had a vision and a dream for a purpose-built centre for musical performance, creativity and learning.
“That dream has just got a step closer with news that Cork County Council have granted permission for the facility . A couple of years ago, the Taoiseach and I sat down with the board of West Cork Music and pledged our support for this project. Now, attention turns to how we fund this project. That is something I am committed to helping this group with.
“Last night I had the pleasure of meeting the Director of the Masters of Tradition, Clare man Martin Hayes. What a joy to hear him and his fellow musicians play. Thank you to everyone involved in bringing this to West Cork.”