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Cornmarket Street Urban Renewal 2010 Update

The Cornmarket Street Area Action Plan was adopted by Cork City Council in May 2005, and forms part of a broader strategy that aims to regenerate the City Centre.

Central to the Action Plan are the Movement and Accessibility Strategy, which aims to increase pedestrian priority and improve public transport access to the area.   It is the intention of the Action Plan to create a distinctive street market so that it will continue to be a focal point of community activity but will also become a shopping and a visitor attraction that appeals to the widest customer base. The long-term aim is to ensure that the market is busy 6-7 days of the week.

The Action Plan also looks to the opportunities for future development while respecting the significant heritage value of the area. It promotes the redevelopment of a number of key sites in the area, including strategic development sites at Cornmarket Street (Guy’s, The Loft / Portney’s Lane) and the Kyrl’s Quay group of sites. These have the ability to transform the area in terms of providing commercial confidence and changing the physical appearance and image of the area.

The public realm strategy for the area aims to achieve an attractive public realm of streets and spaces. The high quality public realm will complement the proposed developments on adjacent sites and provide the venue for a range of activities. Primary spaces will be designed to a similar specification to that used on other City Centre landmark spaces, such as Oliver Plunkett Street and Saint Patrick Street.

The works on the street are currently well underway with emphasis being placed on pedestrianisation while retaining through traffic.  Extensive paving is currently being laid which will allow for an improved, more pleasant area for pedestrians and for the markets.  It also allows for an increase in the availability of outdoor seating which will also enhance the area further.  The second phase is currently being tendered and this will see the scheme finish the street out to Kyrl’s Quay. 

Cornmarket Street Area Action Plan