Contact Name: Barry Lynch,
Name of Group: EDPM Ltd and Roadplan Ltd
Address: 7 Ormonde Road, Kilkenny
Email: barry.lynch@edpm.ie
We make this submission with regard to the environs of Ormonde Road – Kilkenny City and in particular with regard to the extending of General Business zoning to include the premises 7 Ormonde Road.
The upper half of Ormonde Road is zoned residential and the lower half general business. We consider that this is at odds with the established use of premises on the road – refer to that attached map.
The general status of Ormonde Road is a mixed-use Street with offices, educational facilities, public houses & bed and breakfasts – refer to photo sheet below. This is recognition of the evolution of the city centre to date and such uses provide the support services typically found in the environs of the central retail core.
The premises of 7 Ormonde Road was up to recently the Parish Centre for St Patricks. Its use over the years has long been associated with community and the function of the building has never been solely residential.
Planning Permission was granted for use as offices and residential 08-128. We feel that this residential use does not allow the full potential of the building to be realised and does not allow the proper Planning and Development of this commercial area of the city and in particular this premises.
Commercial Premises (7 Ormonde Road) adjoining General Business Zoning.
The premises is very suitable to commercial and general use options, with carparking to the rear, multiple access points, generous site proportions. It is not ideally suited for residential use in that it is isolated from other dwellings, lacking suitable private open space and sharing commercial car parking.
The established residential areas on Ormonde Road are located on the out-of-town side of the New Street traffic signals. Ormonde Road is on the direct path of those travelling to the town from those housing areas, either by car, on foot or by bicycle and is therefore well trafficked and retains vibrancy even when the businesses on this street are closed. There is not a need to retain residential zoning for the purposes of trying to retain out-of-hours activity.
Residential clusters on Patrick Street and Jacob Street are indicated to be Housing protection Areas. These are historic residential communities located close to the commercial centre. Amenity in such areas needs to be considered and protected so that residents can enjoy a deserved quality of life. Non-residential development in such areas can lead to an environment that is unsuitable for family life and can lead to the gradual degradation of such communities. Problems with overshadowing, with out-of hours deliveries, with competition for parking spaces during business hours are all example of factors causing residential inconvenience. We therefore fully support that protection and recommend the retention of residential zoning in Jacob Street and on Patrick Street. We further recommend that development heights be restricted to match those of existing development in the block bounded by Ormonde Road, Jacob Street and Patrick Street. Therefore Ormonde Road would be limited to 3-storey, Jacob Street to 2-storey and Patrick Street to 3-storey.
That bounded area lies wholly within the Patrick Street Architectural Conservation Area and such a limit on development height would be appropriate. The protection of views from the soon-to-open Talbot’s Tower of the City Wall should be an important consideration and the views available to tourists from that National Monument should not be obstructed by buildings higher than existing. The photo on the preceding page was taken from the tower and indicates the appropriateness of retaining existing building heights.
It is our opinion that this amendment to the draft plan is a positive improvement to the plan and the environs generally and in summary we request:
- Extend commercial zoning on Ormonde Road to include no 7 Ormonde Road.
- Retain residential zoning on Jacob Street and Patrick Street to protect existing residential communities there.
- Restrict development heights to preserve the existing streetscape with the Patrick Street ACA and to preserve the quality of views from Talbot’s Tower.
Extract from Figure 9.1 – Zoning Objectives Map Kilkenny City and Environs Draft Development Plan 2014-2020
