For that to happen and for Cork to truly thrive as we move towards 2040, we need high rise and high density development. This will enable us to improve our public transport in the city, attract more jobs and avoid urban sprawl.

The Port of Cork is a key site for the development of Cork. It can become a modern hub for living, working, retail, recreation and culture.

The key to unlocking Cork’s potential is building high density and high rise development in and near the city centre. The Docklands and Tivoli will be key areas for this type of development, but we need to look at all our options within a reasonable distance of the city centre.

High rise and high density developments in the city centre, both residential and business allow for:

Less Traffic: People will be able to walk or cycle to work, taking cars off the roads and reducing traffic congestion. More people work in a concentrated area in the city centre, justifying more buses and better cycle lanes on these key routes.

Increasing supply in the housing market: Apartments are seriously lacking in Cork and high rise apartment building, while they won't solve the housing crisis, will provide a much needed injection of supply and will free up houses in the suburbs that are now being occupied by young professionals, etc, who would prefer to live near to the city centre.

Better public transport decisions: High density development facilitates us in upgrading and developing our public transport. It makes a Cork Luas feasible. We’ve already seen this in Ballincollig & Carrigaline- the density along the 220 bus route has allowed it to become a very successful 24 hour route. Better public transport will breathe life into the city centre- if people are less reliant on their cars, they are more likely to go for a pint after work, venture into town for a coffee on a Saturday, or go in to check out a festival or an event in the Crawford, Triskel or the Everyman. I’ve already seen this happening with people that work with me from Carrigaline and Crosshaven and can get that 220 route- town has suddenly become much more accessible.

Avoiding sprawl: I have friends from Madrid to Berlin that live in apartments right in the city centre, and all those European cities, living in a city centre apartment is the norm through all stages in life. What I REALLY want to avoid in Cork is the sprawl that Dublin has suffered from. We do not want Cork City sprawling out and people being forced to put their children into the creche at 6am and commute for hours to get to work. We have the chance now to avoid this, by building up. At the moment, it isn’t happening. Looking upwards will help us solve a lot of problems.