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The Killarney Municipal District has unveiled a draft local area plan for the next six years and there are some interesting developments on the cards for the likes of New Street, St Finan’s and the Áras Phádraig. There are also plans in place to tackle the traffic and parking issues plaguing the town.

The plan has set out 20 objectives in total in the categories of Residential Development, Opportunity Sites/Regeneration, Arts, Heritage and Culture, and Roads/Infrastructure. A period of pre draft public consultation ran from December 8, 2016 to January 26, 2017 during which the public were invited to make submissions/observations.

It is hoped to facilitate the development of 685 residential units within the settlement boundary, and particular mention is made to New Street which has been identified as an area where residential regeneration is necessary.

“A residential regeneration area contains vacant properties that can be brought back into use as new homes,” the plan states. “It is proposed that any vacant commercial units within these predominant residential areas be converted to residential use.”

The disused St Finan’s Hospital and adjacent grounds have long been slated for redevelopment and this extensive draft plan also lays out aims for the iconic site. The goal, according to the Municipal District, is “to sustainably preserve and develop this large landmark building and associated brownfield site as a new mixed use urban area in order to ensure a sustainable urban extension to existing facilities and infrastructure.”

“Any future development will need to protect and enhance the existing character and views of the hospital building,” the plan continues. “The site has potential for significant mixed use development, including a cultural/tourist use.

“Development on the site should incorporate a strong social and community element which reflects the historic use of the site particularly with respect to improvements to the public realm and the development of civic amenity. In line with this 30% of the total site shall be set aside for social/community use.”

The old Áras Phádraig, located close to the town centre, has been another bone of contention for the people of Killarney for years and here at the Killarney Advertiser we have called for the redevelopment of the area as a civic plaza (see artist’s impression). Officials now say the aim for this site is to sustainably re-develop it as a mixed cultural/heritage/community use with associated car-parking provisions. We are pleased to hear that this is now the official plan and we look forward to seeing how the project progresses.

It’s no secret that traffic and parking are major problems in the town and the draft plan outlines a number of objectives to tackle these issues, such as implementing traffic management measures, providing bus set-down areas/shelters and bicycle parking, creating more cycle lanes and providing car parks at suitable locations on approach roads throughout the town.

The latter is likely to come as a bit of a surprise to locals, some of whom have expressed their view that additional parking is required in the town centre itself.

Kerry County Council has a statutory obligation to secure the implementation of the objectives of the Killarney Municipal District Local Area Plan. The plan itself can be viewed online in the planning section of the Kerry County Council website (www.kerrycoco.ie).

Submissions are currently being accepted and will be taken up until June 15. What do you think of the objectives outlined in the new plan? What are your ideas? Let us know via newsdesk@killarneyadvertiser.ie.