Shopping Centre

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City extension will bring 600 permanant jobs and Tesco
A MAJOR extension to the city will create 600 permanent jobs, with the first phase alone representing a E200 million investment in the local economy.
When completed, the development will help make Kilkenny City one of the most sought-after shopping locations anywhere in Ireland with a network of new streets, some covered, a one acre civic square surrounded by restaurants and cafes with landmark buildings and at least one of the most coveted retail names in shopping.
With Tesco as anchor tenant, word is that Marks & Spencer may also be on its way to the shopping centre which will be called Citymart.
It is expected to be open for business by October 2008 and the developers are confident that it will stop business "leaking" to other cities and towns in the region.
Research undertaken by Kilkenny Co-operative Mart and David Lyons shows a significant slippage to Carlow, Waterford and even Portlaoise.
"We can see that 35% of the spend in Kilkenny is going outside the county and want to stop that haemorrhaging by offering not a shopping centre but by adding another sector to the city centre and not creating a stand alone mall only accessible by car," developer David Lyons said.
With three pedestrian access points to knit it into the John Street, Wolfe Tone Street and New Road areas, it will paradoxically have a "proposed" pedestrian bridge linking it with the McDonagh Junction development with which it will compliment the development.
A planning application for the mart site on Barrack Street-New Road- - Castlecomer Road will be lodged with Kilkenny Borough Council in the coming weeks.
The demolition of the existing mart and the construction of Citymart will bring a new dimension to living, working and leisure in the city and has been carefully designed to fit in with the plan for the area designed by the council.
The developers are anxious that the centre will connect with the rest of the city.
They say there will be a positive knock-on effect including the rejuvenation of John's Green.
Art space
Arts and culture will also play a key role in the development with a dedicated building which could be used as a museum-exhibiting area or performing arts area. Architect Peter O'Donnell noted that the performance centre might have a similar theme to Dublin's Vicar Street
The possibilities on this are being teased out with many interest groups including Kilkenny Co Council.
Citymart will be developed in two phases, the Tesco and market street area will come first and in the coming months other thoroughfares on the site will come before the planning authority for approval.
There will be a strong leisure element to the plan with a seven screen cinema in the pipe-line as well as a top class medical facility for public and private patients.
The strength of Citymart according to David Lyons is that it is within the city which will be encompassed and held in by the new inner relief road.
Following the mart's highly publicised opposition to the McDonagh Junction Centre at Kilkenny railway station, Mr Lyons does not see any major confrontation between Citymart and McDonagh Junction during the planning process with Citymart saying that both sides had moved on and that it was time to work for the good of the city.
At present interest groups are being briefed including the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce, John Street traders and residents of St Maul's; New Road, Wolfe Tone Street and High Hayes Terrace.
Kilkenny Mart Mich-ael Parsons and David Lyons say their will meet any local people to brief them on their plans.
17 May 2006

Stephen

Holy crap, kilkenny's grocery cartel finally failing to block Tesco's entry to the city?

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Stephen wrote:

Holy crap, kilkenny's grocery cartel finally failing to block Tesco's entry to the city?

I know I was shocked too!Seems like a massive development, especially when you add in the railway station one as well- the poor old Market Cross will be ran out of business!!

Our man in Havana

I seriously doubt that tescos will get PP.

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Bond-007 wrote:

I seriously doubt that tescos will get PP.

I actually think they will this time; they realise now how much business is leaking out to all the surrounding counties by not have enough choice locally.
The council are heavily involved now in both projects, so they kinda have a vested interest in the new developments too.

col o

mfitzy wrote:

I actually think they will this time; they realise now how much business is leaking out to all the surrounding counties by not have enough choice locally.
The council are heavily involved now in both projects, so they kinda have a vested interest in the new developments too.

Good luck guys,I hope you don't have a lunatic fringe like the one in Waterford led by Brendan McCann.Otherwisw you will be tearing your hair out with frustration caused by those who believe everything larger than a corner shop is a beorgoise/capitalist Wal Martist plot to take over the world:)

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col o wrote:

Good luck guys,I hope you don't have a lunatic fringe like the one in Waterford led by Brendan McCann.Otherwisw you will be tearing your hair out with frustration caused by those who believe everything larger than a corner shop is a beorgoise/capitalist Wal Martist plot to take over the world:)

Yea just who is this Brendan McCann fella!??Is he some kind of environmentalist/heritage do-gooder??

Believe me, we have our fair share of them in KK too; don't want any progress or development that might actually bring us into the 21st century!Its really frustrating how one or two tree huggers can block something for the greater good...

col o

mfitzy wrote:

Yea just who is this Brendan McCann fella!??Is he some kind of environmentalist/heritage do-gooder??

Believe me, we have our fair share of them in KK too; don't want any progress or development that might actually bring us into the 21st century!Its really frustrating how one or two tree huggers can block something for the greater good...

Yes thats exactly what he is.He is from Galway and lectures at WIT.He wants no structure in Waterford to be over three storeys.If you go through the planning lists in Waterford he has lodged an objection to everything and I mean eberything,unless its an extension onto a house.Even then though you wouldn.t be safe.And if he fails he appeals to an bord pleanala.The results are usually things get delayed for years.

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col o wrote:

Yes thats exactly what he is.He is from Galway and lectures at WIT.He wants no structure in Waterford to be over three storeys.If you go through the planning lists in Waterford he has lodged an objection to everything and I mean eberything,unless its an extension onto a house.Even then though you wouldn.t be safe.And if he fails he appeals to an bord pleanala.The results are usually things get delayed for years.

Cheek of him, not even from the place and telling ya's what to build or not to build!
Its easy for him to preach with his big job lecturing; he won't be depending on big developments and all the jobs they bring to earn a crust.How is a city or town supposed to develop if buildings aren't alllowed go upwards; this just further inflates property prices and results in more urban sprawl (no doubt he'd have something else to say on this).
People like him sicken me; look at that morain up in Dublin objecting to the M3 motorway in Meath.Not even living there it turned out!Delayed the project for years with the reseult that many more people have died on the old N3 road which is woefull inadequate.
Same crap here in KK with the N9; remember the so-called 'Campaign For Sensible Transport'- they had a big campaign going to try and block this essential infrastructure. These people make my blood boil, theyre anti- everything!!

deisemum

Brendan McCann has objected to approx 70 planning applications (last count I heard awhile back).

However I didn't hear about him objecting to all the development at the WIT.

He has said it's not just Waterford but nationally that he's interested in the planning process, does anyone know if he objected to GMIT. It is one of the worst eyesores that I've ever seen as you enter Galway city.

oceanicsky

Hi Dose anyone have an up date is it coming to kilkenny or not. cosue i know ppl ware trying to stop it!? but i think it would be great for kilkenny

http://www.citymart.ie

Plez Help

fricatus

mfitzy wrote:

Same crap here in KK with the N9; remember the so-called 'Campaign For Sensible Transport'- they had a big campaign going to try and block this essential infrastructure. These people make my blood boil, theyre anti- everything!!

Yeah! The "No Motorway - No Tolls" signs around Ballyhale and Vegas. What a bunch of gowlbags. Actually, there's still one of those signs about halfway between the 'Vat and Waterford. The irony is that right behind it, diggers are busy building the Wat-KK freeway, happy dayz!

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fricatus wrote:

Yeah! The "No Motorway - No Tolls" signs around Ballyhale and Vegas. What a bunch of gowlbags. Actually, there's still one of those signs about halfway between the 'Vat and Waterford. The irony is that right behind it, diggers are busy building the Wat-KK freeway, happy dayz!

Don't get me started!!:D
I remember those signs allright. the env treehuggers tryed to turn all the landowners againstt he road building at the time. Common sense finally prevailed and we are gettin a decent road and not that current 1950s cart track/death trap road...

fricatus

How about the section north of Knocktopher? Have they started work on it yet? There seems to be some activity on the twisty bit just south of Danesfort.

(sorry for continuing off topic, but I'm counting the days until my commute involves a motorway and not a cart-track).

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fricatus wrote:

How about the section north of Knocktopher? Have they started work on it yet? There seems to be some activity on the twisty bit just south of Danesfort.

(sorry for continuing off topic, but I'm counting the days until my commute involves a motorway and not a cart-track).

i think that might be to do with archeology. they've been there a few months now. It's out to tender at the mo. Engineering posts for this section advertised with council at present so I'm hopin early 2008 will get underway...
And we're all counting the days, trust me!!

Seamus357

Has a date been announced yet for the opening of the new McDonagh Junction shopping centre? I heard the 7th November mentioned.

EKRIUQ

26th of October it said in last weeks KP

oceanicdream

I got a job in Duns in the new shopping center and thats is ment to be on the 8 nov.. i think.. but alll so kk said last week the 26 of oct... but it dosent look like it but i guess thats not all that is going there

Loveless

there are a few shops open down there today. It'll be a while before all the other shops get moved in.

B.

Firetrap

Well, I took a look in there today. Tbh, there's not a lot to be seen there yet. A giant Dunnes at one side, TK Maxx at the other. River Island, Champion Sports, a health food shop, a pharmacy, Carphone warehouse, couple of juice bar/coffee shop type tings, a jeweller's with seriously expensive stuff in the window and another clothes shop whose name escapes me.

Hopefully it'll be better when more units open. Going around the place, it's hard not to get the impression that they were rushing like crazy to get it opened and whatever shops were ready were ready.

EKRIUQ

Car parks a bit of a nightmare, forget about going in and get something quick and driving home.

Dunnes is tiny compared to Kieran St.

Our man in Havana

Is there really a need for 3 Dunnes Stores within 1 mile of each other?

Firetrap

I know of a few towns where there are 2 full-sized Dunnes. The one on High Street might as well be a Centra or a Spar IMHO.

Fugetta bout Dunnes - I want a Tesco and I want one now!

JohnC.

Firetrap wrote: »

I know of a few towns where there are 2 full-sized Dunnes. The one on High Street might as well be a Centra or a Spar IMHO.

Not just IYHO really. It is supposed to just be a convenience store, just like Centra or Spar.

Clonmel also has 3 Dunnes, although one is just drapery.

Plug

I wasen't there, was it worth the hype?

Stephen

Plug: Not much of interest unless you have a vagina

It looks nice is all I can say.

djpaul

Stephen wrote: »

Plug: Not much of interest unless you have a vagina

It looks nice is all I can say.

Which The centre or the vagina:p

Firetrap

Ahem!

Anyway, you'd want to have been a brave soul to go near TK Maxx on Thursday - looked pretty scary in there. Long queues and all that.

just-wonderin

hello all yeah know what ya mean was in there left prety fast twas mental

djpaul

Firetrap wrote: »

Ahem!

Anyway, you'd want to have been a brave soul to go near TK Maxx on Thursday - looked pretty scary in there. Long queues and all that.

Overheard someone say "They would make more money if they put a match to it".:eek:

Nightwish

I walked up on Saturday, and what a waste of time. It looks nice but thats it. There is nothing open except for a few clothes shops and Dunnes, not to mention far too many people around. The car park is a disaster and needs to be sorted. Rumours are afoot that the TK Maxx staff are not happy campers and some have jumped ship already.