€300m Kilkenny centre blocked

An Bord Pleanála has refused permission for a €300 million shopping, business and residential complex in the centre of Kilkenny city.

Developers had planned to build Citymart - a mix of 25 shops, restaurants, offices, a cinema, medical centre, hotel, 54 apartments and 1,200 car-parking spaces - on a 13-acre site which formerly housed the livestock mart.

The mart relocated to a new site on the outskirts of Kilkenny in 2007.

The project was envisaged as the second phase of a major urban re-generation programme involving an overall investment of €600 million. The first phase, MacDonagh Junction – a development of shops, offices and apartments - was built on a 10.5-acre site beside Kilkenny railway station and opened two years ago.

However, Kilkenny County Council refused planning permission for Citymart, citing the “inadequacy of the existing roads infrastructure” to cope with the proposed development.

The council said while it was “in favour” of the project in principle, an inner relief road and a new bridge over the River Nore would be required before the development could proceed. “Building a new road and bridge in the heart of medieval Kilkenny would be difficult given the city’s architectural and archaeological heritage,” a spokesman said.

The developers appealed the council’s decision to An Bord Pleanála. It has taken the board two years to consider and refuse the appeal which was lodged in November 2007. A spokesman said the long delay was due to the complexity of the case and a backlog of appeals.

Citymart is a joint venture between Kilkenny Livestock Market Ltd and Melcorpo Property Development Ltd, a property development company.