Shandon Integrated Urban Strategy Oct 2024

Integrated Urban Strategy SHANDON DRAFT October 2024

Link to website

THRIVE is co funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union Strategy through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.

Executive Summary

fostering a vibrant, welcoming, and inclusive place for living, working, learning, shopping, visiting, socializing, and aging together. Section 4 details site-specific and non-site-specific projects to achieve this vision. Site-specific projects include three building improvements: Weighmaster’s House, John Redmond Street buildings, and the Legion of Mary building. Public realm and green space projects focus on enhancing Shandon Street’s pedestrian environment, improving the historic east-west spine of Church Street, Exchange Street, and John Redmond Street, and revitalizing St. Anne’s and Dr. Mary Hearn’s Memorial Parks. Proposed improvements for accessibility and safety include enhancing key laneway links from Pope’s Quay, improving wayfinding along Devonshire and Dominick Street, and greening and parking consolidation along Old Market Place. Smaller projects include a pocket park on Eason’s Hill and a mural on the Heineken wall on Lower John Street. Non-site specific projects involve guidance and strategies to: • protect and enhance the area’s historic character; • establish a new mobility strategy for pedestrians and vehicles, and; • set out measures to address illegal and inappropriate parking. Section 5 outlines an intervention and phasing plan for the projects identifying indicative time frames, ownership, delivery mechanisms, and potential project partners, with Cork City Council playing a crucial role in facilitating investment. Despite significant challenges, the opportunities for Shandon are immense. The Integrated Urban Strategy is expected to catalyse regeneration, helping achieve the community’s visions and aspirations over the coming years.

Welcome to the Integrated Urban Strategy for Shandon. This is an ambitious heritage and community-led Integrated Urban Strategy (IUS) for the Shandon Area, which is progressed under the Government’s Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE). THRIVE is co funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union Through the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027. In line with the guidance set out in the “Town Centre First – Approach for Irish Towns” and the THRIVE guidelines, the strategy will set out a visual, action-based roadmap for the future development and revitalisation of this historic neighbourhood. Our strategy addresses complex urban challenges by uniting stakeholders, including the community, businesses, and council departments, to ensure environmentally sustainable, economically focussed and socially inclusive development which aligns with New European Bauhaus principles and values of sustainability, inclusivity and beauty. Section 2 provides a baseline analysis of Shandon that is informed by the feedback/insight generated by a ‘Let’s Talk Shandon’ engagement process and reinforces the policy objectives of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028. Highlighted challenges included maintaining historic buildings, improving laneway safety, revitalising the social and commercial potential of Shandon Street, attracting and maintaining visitors in the area, and managing the impact of motor vehicles on the historic street network. Section 3 outlines a vision statement, aims, and objectives to guide the actions and projects emerging from the IUS. The vision is for Shandon to be a neighbourhood that cherishes its heritage, cultural dynamism, and community bonds,

Document History

Revision Purpose description

Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised

Date

1.0

First draft issue to client

09.10.2024

2.0 3.0

Second draft issue to client Third draft issue to client

DJ DJ

NT NT

UF UF

16.10.2024 18.10.2024

Final Draft issue to client

4.0

22.10.2024

Client Signoff

Cork City Council

Client

Shandon Integrated Urban Strategy

Project

5230350

Job Number

Client Signature & Date

CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

3. VISION STATEMENT, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1.1 Introduction to IUS 1.2 Purpose of IUS 1.3 Description of Study Area 1.4 Methodology: Feedback to Priority Projects

2.1 Community and Cultural Assets 2.2 Sustainable Travel and Parking 2.3 Land use, projects and buildings 2.4 Historic Growth of Shandon 2.5 Character Areas 2.6 Engagement Process

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND PHASING PLAN 6. PRIORITY PROJECTS

5.1 Strategy Delivery Summary 5.2 Potential Phased Projects 5.3 Phasing Plan

6.1 Priority Project Summary 6.2 Butter Market and Weighmaster’s House 6.3 Revitalising Shandon’s Green Spaces 6.4 Re-imagining Shandon Street

4.1 Integrated Urban Strategy 4.2 Shandon Street Character Area Projects 4.3 Historic Heart Character Area Projects 4.4 Connection / Link Projects 4.5 Additional Public Realm / Pocket Park Projects 4.6 Non-Site Specific Projects

5.4 Land Ownership 5.5 Funding Sources

A. APPENDICES

A. Historic Character Appraisal B. Policy Context C. Transport Note

1. INTRODUCTION

This section provides an introduction to the project, its background and its geographical extents and the structure of the document, describing the Integrated Urban Strategy has emerged through an understanding of Shandon. The section culminates with a summary of how the activities undertaken to engage with the local community and key stakeholders have informed the IUS.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to IUS This Integrated Urban Strategy (IUS) develops a range of emerging site and non-site specific project priorities that have been identified through a thorough process of analysis and engagement. This has included a ‘Let’s Talk Shandon’, a public engagement event held in the Firkin Crane, as well as engagement with local schools and businesses. A Neighbourhood Team, made up of a group of local workers and residents has helped steer and facilitate emerging projects / actions. Despite Shandon’s many attractive qualities, its rich heritage and historic building stock, proximity to Cork City Centre and active local community it has suffered a level of decline in recent years. This has manifest itself in the number of dereliction/vacancy, poor pedestrian links up to Shandon from the City Centre and from surrounding areas of public realm and parkland that is either of low quality, dominated by parking or not fulfilling its obvious potential. Cumulatively this all contributes to a general lack of vibrancy, vitality and attractiveness along Shandon Street and in the historic heart of the neighbourhood. The road map set out in this document includes the outline of projects that seek to address some of these complex urban challenges by involving multiple stakeholders and ensuring development is both environmentally sustainable, aesthetically attractive and socially inclusive, in line with the three values set out by the New European Bauhaus initiative.

1.2 Purpose of IUS The Shandon IUS will serve as a heritage- focused roadmap, guiding efforts to enhance the role, image, vibrancy, vitality, and resilience of the neighbourhood. Improvements will be driven by a deeper understanding of the need to protect and enhance Shandon’s historic buildings and street network, with clear guidance shaping future private investment. The strategy focuses on two key areas: Shandon Street and Shandon’s ‘Historical Heart’ around Shandon Bells and Firkin Crane. Enhancements in accessibility and place-making within and leading towards these two areas will leverage investment and regeneration. Additionally, the IUS will bring together community vision, business interests, local knowledge, and expertise from key sectoral stakeholders and local authorities. This collaboration will establish a strong roadmap that ensures a more sensitive approach to how the area is developed/regenerated in the future, and help promote, progress and deliver the key site-specific projects. This IUS is being progressed through the first strand of the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE) and is aligned with the Town Centre First (TCF) Framework and other relevant policy, including the Cork City Development Plan (2022-2028).

1. INTRODUCTION

Figure 1: Aerial plan showing study area

1.3 Description of Study Area The IUS covers Shandon, an area of significant social, economic, cultural and religious importance. It has a distinct and unique identity which retains much of its historic urban fabric. The boundary of the project was identified as part of the Shandon Town Centre Health Check undertaken in 2022 and includes the Shandon Architectural Conservation Area (ACA), as extended to align with CSO Small Area Boundaries. The boundaries of the study area are Cathedral Walk and Cathedral Way to the north, the north channel of the River Lee to the south, the N20 Blackpool Bypass to the east (extending along Leitrim Street and Devonshire Street to the western end of Coburg Street), and Wolfe Tone Street, Glen Ryan Road, and Upper Cattle Market Street to the west. The area features a dense network of streets, lanes, archways, and steps. It is renowned for its historic landmarks, including the Firkin Crane, the former Butter Market, Skiddy’s Almshouse, and most notably, St. Anne’s Church with its distinctive Italianate tower.

Shandon Architectural Conservation Area Boundary

Cathedral Walk

Cathedral Road

Wolfe Tone St

John Redmond St

N20

Shandon St

Blarney St

Mulgrave St

1. INTRODUCTION

1.4 Methodology: Feedback to Priority Projects The following briefly sets out how the feedback generated from the local community / stakeholder engagement has been whittled down to first 14 site specific and xx non-site specific projects for Shandon and secondly the three priority projects for Shandon. Not all these opportunities will initially be taken forward by CCC; the purpose for inclusion of these projects is to provide support to other organisations and social groups in applying for funding/grants that are not available to Local Authorities.

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During the ‘Let’s Talk Shandon’ engagement process, hundreds of comments from local stakeholders were gathered. These comments were mapped and reviewed against TCF Policy objectives, NEB values, and the initial baseline analysis of the area. This process led to the identification of various site-specific and non-site-specific projects to be promoted and progressed through the Urban Strategy.

The buildings and public realm/park projects identified in step 1 were then reviewed and refined through workshops and online discussions involving internal officers and the Neighbourhood Team. Projects were either removed or adjusted based on a deeper understanding of community needs and desires, their feasibility, alignment with broader council objectives, and to ensure they did not duplicate efforts of other Council departments.

From the discussions in step 2, a range of impactful and feasible projects were identified and narrowed down to three priority projects. These projects were emphasized as particularly important during the discussions, deemed feasible by CCC, and showcase the breadth and potential of the Urban Strategy and its future implementation. The variety is showcased by including projects focused on a building (Weighmaster’s House and Butter Exchange), a street/public realm (Shandon Street), and green spaces (St. Anne’s Park and Dr. Mary Hearn’s Memorial Park). Criteria for selection • Has strong potential for impactful revitalisation of the neighbourhood. • Can be delivered by CCC in partnership with other organisations • Can be delivered by any other organisation (Housing Association / Developer, Social organisation / community group)

Criteria for selection • Sense-checked through discussions with internal CCC officers and workshop with NT.

Criteria for selection • Survey comments, submitted either via the project website or in paper form at key locations across each area • Post-it notes and discussions at in-person engagement events. • Key stakeholder discussions, including business and school engagement.

• Aligned with other Council Policy/projects. • Avoided duplicating Council resources.

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

This section starts with maps illustrating the current conditions and assets within the study area. It then highlights key features and improvement potential across various Character Areas 1 . This information has been collected through site visits and discussions with local stakeholders and Council officers. It concludes with a summary of how the ‘Let’s Talk Shandon’ engagement event in Autumn 2024 and Neighbourhood Team Workshops and internal officer meetings have been instrumental in shaping the development of emerging projects for the area.

1 Informed by a Heritage Character Assessment undertaken on Shandon (included as Appendix A).

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Figure 2: Plan showing community and cultural assets of Shandon

2.1 Community and Cultural Assets

Residential

School

Community Facility

Religious site or place of worship

Arts and Cultural Facility

N20

Museum

Medical Centre

Cathedral Walk

Pubs, Cafés and Hospitality Venues

Human health and social work activities

Cathedral Road

Mulgrave St

Shandon St

John Redmond St

Blarney St

N20

100

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

2.2 Sustainable Travel and Parking

Key Roads

Parking • Dense land use and historic narrow streets in Shandon create high demand for limited on-street parking. • Despite low car ownership, parking issues are severe around Firkin Crane and St. Anne’s. • Indiscriminate parking obstructs access for larger vehicles and the Cork sightseeing bus. • Shandon Street, the main commercial area, has limited time-restricted parking. • Visitor parking around Firkin Crane is scarce, causing local traffic issues. • The existing parking permit system is inconsistently enforced.

Crossing Points

Footpaths

Steps

Off-Road Cycle Route

Bus Route

Green Space

Trees

N20

Cathedral Walk

Play Area

Cathedral Road

Community Growing Space

Cycle Parking

TFI Bike Share

Parking Issues

Mulgrave St

Shandon St

John Redmond St

Blarney St

N20

100

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

2.3 Land use, projects and buildings

Retail

Financial Services

Manufacturing

N20

Accommodation

Other Services

Cathedral Walk

A B

New public realm and bus efficient improvements Glen Ryan and Cattle Market Road Active Travel Improvements project

Cathedral Road

St Anne’s Conservation Management Plan

Buildings at Risk

1 6 John Redmond Street 2 Weighmaster’s House, Church Street 3 Warehouses, Rear of 393 Blarney Street

4 37 Lower John Street 5 4 Camden Quay 6 26 Knapp’s Square 7 Corner of Waggett’s Lane

Shandon St

Mulgrave St

8 60 Shandon Street

John Redmond St

Blarney St

N20

100

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

2.4 Historic Growth of Shandon

to c. 1300

c. 1300 - 1690

c. 1690 - 1759

1579 - 1842

1842 - 1900

Medieval Line of river / marshland

Source : Irish Historic Towns Atlas

2.5 Character Areas 2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

The Markets This area comprises housing along wide roads, interspersed with smaller laneways, a rich market and industrial heritage, warehouses, new residential developments, an active community centre in the Rocks, and scenic views to the south. There is rich history associated with the Old market place. The Blarney Street Pollinator Path project seeks to creating a continuous habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies in the area, principally in private garden space. However, there are areas needing improvement, particularly in reducing the car dominance, creating spaces for children, managing traffic on Blarney Street. For instance Old Market Place is characterised by a wide irregular area of road space lined on other side by perpendicular parking with its junctioning with Blarney Street is an obstacle for pedestrians seeking to walk eastwards to Shandon Street. There is also the challenge of finding a renewed purpose for the area’s industrial heritage, particularly Warehouses to the Rear of 393 Blarney Street. The IUS will consider developing the amenity value of the streets and spaces particular addressing accessibility and car dominance in and around Old Market Place. Additionally, providing guidance for future development and promoting adaptive re-use projects are key priorities.

The following character areas were identified through the Historic Character Appraisal in Appendix A. The key attributes and challenges are set out, many of which have been informed by extensive engagement with the community and key stakeholders. Neighbourhood This area features early 20th-century housing that replaced tenements in the area, with houses boasting front and back gardens and wider roads. There are sheds and warehouses landlocked between Fair Street and Shandon Street, and the rears of Shandon Street houses are visible. The area is bound by a bus corridor along Cathedral Road to the north and the south by a key link onto Shandon Street. However, there is room for improvement in connecting this area to Shandon and exploring the scope for infill development. There are several wide and inaccessible junctions along Cattle Market Avenue, impacting safe pedestrian passage to Shandon Street. This issues is due to be addressed by the Glen Ryan and Cattle Market Road Active Travel Improvements project. In addition there is a Bus Connects project proposed for Cathedral Road. The IUS will consider identifying opportunity sites for housing and supporting / connecting to public realm and active travel improvements in the area.

Cathedral Road

Cattle Market Avenue

Glen Ryan Road

Blarney St

Rocks Community Centre

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Shandon Street Shandon Street, an old historic route from North Gate Bridge, is a bustling central shopping street with small active businesses and new international ones adding vibrancy. It offers direct links to Shandon’s historic heart and a gated community-driven growing space near its southern end. The extent of the street is defined by two gateway spaces at its junction with Cathedral Road and the North Gate Bridge, a space bound by attractive buildings and offering views of the River Lee. However, the street faces challenges such as shop and pub closures, industrial decline, and traffic intrusion. Improvements needed include reducing car dominance, addressing dereliction and vacancy (such as the Legion of Mary building), revitalizing inactive shop fronts, managing plot amalgamation, and reducing clutter and overhead services. The conversion of ground floor units to residential use, lack of greenery, and social spots, especially at the northern end, are turning the street into a passing route rather than a community hub. At the northern end, a five-arm road junction and disconnected public spaces limit amenity. The southern end suffers from illegal footway parking and a wide junction space, impacting pedestrian accessibility. The lack of focal features means there’s no logical area to gather or spend time. Further assessment on Shandon Street has been undertaken in section 6 due to its emergence as a priority project. The IUS will consider shop front enhancements, providing incentives for small businesses to establish and remain on the street. Enhancements around greening, lighting, and to footways will also be integrated to encourage footfall throughout the day and night. Additionally, bringing community uses into derelict buildings and restoring the bottom of Shandon Street as an active public space are key priorities.

Abbey Square This area features a quiet residential square, set back from the road, which is unique to the area. However, there is room for improvement in connectivity to The Markets and Shandon Street, and there has been a gradual loss of character due to inappropriate extensions. Abbey Square provides an attractive piece of urban form to the area yet lane ways that would otherwise have provided links to and from it have been gated. This also impacts general access to the riverside for areas along Blarney Street. The IUS will consider making improvements to North Abbey Street to enhance its connection to Shandon Street and providing guidance on future extensions and development within the square to preserve its unique character.

Business Engagement On September 13th, 2024, Shandon Street was visited to collect feedback from local business owner. Key issues that emerged included: • anti social behaviour along North Abbey Road • space at southern end of street lacking focal point since loss of fountain • lack of greenery along street • difficulty in opening and running a shop • lack of footfall/interest in northern end of street (cost associated with applying fro outdoor seating) • dog poo, anti social behaviour and lack of lighting guard presence at northern end of street.

Cathedral Road

Legion of Mary

Church St

The Living Common

Blarney St

Former Post Office

Shandon Green Garden Allotments

North Abbey Street

Pope’s Quay

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Historic Heart The Historic Heart of Shandon features several key attractions, including landmark buildings, the Shandon Bells, Firkin Crane, and medieval winding streets. It also includes two main green spaces: St Anne’s Park and Dr. Mary Hearns Memorial Park. The proposed reuse of the prominent Butter Exchange building offers both a new focus for activity in Shandon. and the opportunity to activate several Council owned buildings in the area. These include Weighmaster’s House immediately next to the Exchange and two buildings along John Redmond Street, currently of interest to Cork Community Land Trust. There are areas for improvement, such as addressing parking within the key public realm areas adjacent to the Firkin Crane and Shandon Bells. There is also a lack of cafés, restaurants and meeting places in the area. St Anne’s Park, while a calm oasis, lacks facilities to attract regular visitors, with no play areas or significant historical references to the Shandon Bells. While Dr. Mary Hearns Memorial Park suffers from anti-social behaviour, in part due to its single entry point from Bob and Joan’s Walk offering limited footfall. Although the area has many cultural venues/ assets, the Shandon Street Festival, a popular cultural event, stopped a few years ago. Many residents are interested in reviving it. The IUS will consider addressing these needs include enhancing heritage sites, improving accessibility, creating open spaces in surrounding laneway areas, de-cluttering the area in front of Firkin Crane and the Butter Exchange, and restoring the Weighmaster’s House with it providing an active frontage to Church Street.

Central Laneways The main features of the area include its connection to Shandon Street and the historic heart, alongside modern infill development. However, there is scope for improvement due to the loss of character from the demolition of residential and industrial warehouse structures, and the gradual loss of historic fabric such as historical material used for walls and the general streetscape. Additionally, vacancy and dereliction are prevalent issues. The IUS will consider enhancing the connection to Shandon Street, providing guidance on future development, and implementing a refuse strategy. Improvements to the general streetscape of the area by re-instating historic street features such as wyndstone kerbs.

Chapel Street

Eason’s Hill

St Anne’s Park

Shandon Bells

Church Street

Weighmaster’s House

Bob and Joan’s Walk

Dr Mary Hearns Memorial Park

Butter Exchange

6A/7 John Redmond Street Buildings

Butter Market

John Redmond Street

Dominick Street

Firkin Crane

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Quayside Laneways The area features gateways from the quays into Shandon, offering views of St Anne’s and the Dominican Priory, and is known for its stone walls. Widderlings Lane, leading up from the Quay, has become a hub for mural and public art. However, there are security and safety issues in the laneways, with anti-social behaviour like graffiti and drug use. Gating these lanes reduces evening footfall, and there is a lack of active frontage. The gradient and anti-slip surface on Widderlings Lane pose a slip hazard in wet and cold conditions. Around Dominick Street, limited bin storage leads to bins blocking the footway. There is also a gradual loss of historic fabric and vacant plots. The IUS will consider enhancing laneway surfaces and lighting to boost footfall, providing development guidelines to improve passive surveillance, and reviewing gated provisions. It also involves removing sand-cement render to restore stone walls and implementing a refuse strategy

The Quays The Quays feature a mix of new apartment buildings and older structures, maintaining a consistent scale and vibrant facade colours. Several landmark heritage buildings, including the Dominican Church and Civic Trust House, are located at the eastern end. The area connects to the south of the city via Shandon footbridge and a segregated cycle lane. It has become a popular spot for people to sit by the river, both day and night, with several cafés and bars opening near a key crossing point from the footbridge towards Widderling Lane, which links north into Shandon. The riverbank offers a riparian habitat supporting diverse plant and animal species, with interpretative information along Pope’s Quay highlighting the local wildlife. However, improvements are needed, such as addressing vacancy and dereliction, particularly near the bottom of Ferry Lane, and realizing the potential for more active businesses with a waterfront connection. The IUS will consider enhancing the connection between businesses and the waterfront, greening and public realm enhancements, reducing car dominance, and improving laneway entrances as routes into the Historic Heart.

Night Walk A night walk was conducted on September 12th, 2024, involving local guards and internal council officers. The route included Quayside laneways, particularly Ferry Lane identified during the engagement event as having safety and security concerns. Considering solutions around lighting and ways to encourage more activity/footfall.

Dominick Street

Widderlings Lane

Ferry Lane

Pope’s Quay

Dominican Church

Civic Trust House

Shandon Bridge

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Cathedral/ Roman Street This area follows a winding route from the river to the Cathedral, with taller terraces on the east and ecclesiastical heritage on the west, especially around the Shandon Street and Cathedral Street junction. At the area’s southern end a series of east west streets and lanes link onto it. A Bus Connects project along Cathedral and Roman Road proposes a bus gate at the Roman Street and Upper John Street junction, likely impacting vehicular movements across Shandon as drivers seek alternative routes through the historic heart of the neighbourhood. Improvements are needed in accessibility, road safety, addressing dereliction and vacancy, reducing car dominance, and managing overhead services. The footway alongside the attractive stonewall perimeter of the Maldron Hotel is narrow and creates quite a hostile pedestrian environment. Footpaths and lanes, including Mary’s Lane and Devonshire Street, which link east from Upper John Street, are stepped with resulting in few accessible pedestrian routes eastwards from Shandon. Additionally, there is only one signalized crossing point along Mulgrave Street, further restricting pedestrian movement particularly at the key desire line eastwards from the Dominick street junction. There are several wide sections of footway along the Cathedral Street that could benefit from additional planting/greenery. The action plan will consider introducing new crossing points and wherever possible widening footway provision, particularly adjacent to the road’s intersection with the key east-west route along Dominick and Devonshire Streets. Provide improved signage to guide visitors to the Cathedral.

School Laneways This area features connections to local schools and the Cathedral, pocket gardens and vacant plots, views to the east, and an active community. However, there are areas needing improvement, such as addressing vacancy and dereliction, preventing inappropriate alterations to older buildings, improving accessibility, enhancing active frontages to laneways for better security, and providing adequate bin storage. The attractive retaining stonewall on the western side of Upper John Street presents a blank inactive frontage to the road while several stretches of footway along this wall are narrow and can create a hostile pedestrian environment. The action plan will consider enhancing the public realm including widening footways wherever possible, creating pocket parks, offering guidance for the adaptive reuse of smaller dwellings, and developing a comprehensive refuse strategy.

N20

North Cathedral

Cathedral Street

Upper John’s Street

Mary’s Lane

Bob and Joan’s Walk

Dominick Street

Devonshire Street

Mulgrave Street

2. UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Eastern Gateway The Eastern Gateway includes remnants of smaller warehouse buildings, a connection to McCurtain Street, and steep steps at the western end of Devonshire Street. It offers views of buildings on the rising land east of the N20. Modern apartment developments at the southern end of Lower John Street and the N20 have introduced ground floor active frontages. However, the back streets off and along Lower John Street have fragmented and incoherent footway provisions, especially for the key east-west link between Shandon and McCurtain Street. Issues include damaged bollards, a lack of tactile paving, illegal parking, and narrow footways. The action plan will consider improving accessibility in the area, including a safer crossing point for the N20. It aims to create a more coherent east-west link along Devonshire Street, add signage and interpretation to guide people to Shandon, and enhance the overall look and feel of this route.

Industrial This area includes the walled Heineken Brewery, fenced PJ Hegarty sites, the N20, warehouses west of the brewery, and stepped laneways leading to Cathedral and Roman Street. Improvements needed include preserving the character and preventing the demolition of industrial warehouse structures, addressing the gradual loss of historic elements like walls and kerbs, and increasing active frontages on Lower John Street. The large industrial sites and wide, high-speed roads create accessibility issues, with few links between Shandon and areas east of the N20, and inadequate pedestrian provisions. The action plan will consider providing guidance for development involving industrial structures, including materials and preventing demolition, improving east-west connections in the area, and enhancing the Heineken walls facing Lower John Street.

N20

Lower John Street

N20

Dominick Street

Devonshire Street

UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

2.6 Engagement Process The Draft Shandon Integrated Urban Strategy was subject to a comprehensive phase of consultation with all the identified stakeholders, representing the range of statutory, community, and political interests in the area. This consultation took place between August and September 2024. All information and feedback received has been recorded and collated by the consultant team and fully considered through a process of analysis and appraisal. A range of in person and digital activities took

STEP 1: ‘Let’s Talk Shandon’ Event and Survey This event and survey allowed residents to influence and shape initial project ideas that would form the draft IUS. The public feedback provided a range of suggested actions/projects focusing on areas around the historic heart (Firkin Crane and Shandon Bells), Shandon Street, St. Anne’s Park and Memorial Park, laneways leading up from the Pope’s Quay, the Pope’s Quay and Dominick Street. Some additional, however less frequently mentioned locations included Eason’s Hill, Old Market Place and Devonshire Street. Several buildings of note emerged including Butter Exchange, Weighmasters House, buildings along John Redmond Street (6A and 7), Legion of Mary Building, Old Post Office Site along Shandon Street and several empty buildings along Dominick and Church Streets.

STEP 2: Neighbourhood Team Workshops and Internal Office Discussions Following the engagement event emerging actions/projects were presented to the Neighbourhood Team. Most support was shown for projects at Weighmaster’s House, a public realm project along Church Street, Exchange Street and John Redmond Street, a green space project at St Anne’s and the Memorial Parks, and street project along Shandon Street. While there was significant support for projects along Widderling and Ferry Lanes, an improved east-west link along Dominick and Devonshire Street and Old Market Place. Internal council officer discussions took place with teams from housing, green space, heritage, planning, waste management, EU/Climate, Transport, Community, Tourism and Economic Development, Property, Parks and Drainage, key feedback was recorded and helped develop the projects.

place during the project, including: • Firkin Crane Engagement Event • Neighbourhood Team Workshops • School Engagement • Youth Forum Engagement • Internal Officer Discussions • Website • Survey • Online elected member briefing

192 Survey Responses

46% of respondents said they lived in the area

290 Online visitors (as of October 2024)

144 Engagement Event Attendees

3. VISION STATEMENT, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This section serves as a link between the Understanding the Place (section 2) and the IUS and priority projects (sections 4 and 5). The vision statement, guiding high level aims and objectives have evolved through initial discussions with Cork City Council, feedback in a survey completed throughout August and September and alignment to objectives and values from the Town Centre First Policy and New European Bauhaus (refer to Appendix B for information on Policy Context).

3. VISION STATEMENT, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Vision Statement Shandon is a neighbourhood that cherishes its rich heritage , cultural dynamism and strong community bonds , fostering a vibrant , attractive , welcoming and inclusive place where people can live, work, learn, shop, visit, socialise, and grow old together. Objectives Aims

Protect the unique historic character of Shandon and revitalise it’s old buildings.

• Shandon’s historic character should be safeguarded and actively promoted for reuse in line with best conservation practice. • Heritage should be celebrated while adapting to modern needs to help address derelict and vacancy rates.

Shandon as a cultural city quarter with a focus on arts and culture.

• Stronger connections between existing arts and cultural venues and communities in Shandon should be fostered. • Local artists, galleries, theatres, and cultural events should be supported to occupy vacant or derelict buildings. • The community should be encouraged and supported in establishing a future cultural or heritage event for Shandon

Shandon as a place that is easy, safe, accessible and attractive to walk and cycle around with convenient and direct connections to the city centre.

• Safe, coherent, and well-lit footways and footpaths to the city centre should be created. • Opportunities to consolidate and rationalise parking to address impacts on Shandon’s accessibility should be sought.

Shandon as a nice place to live with shops, businesses, activities and a nice environment for all ages.

• An environment that supports inter-generational living should be created, ensuring that residents of all ages feel included and considered. • Residents should be able to access local services such as shops, recreational activities, and community services.

Creation of a thriving centre with more jobs and business opportunities.

• A vibrant Shandon Street should be established to attract businesses, start-ups, and job seekers. • Local entrepreneurship and innovation should be encouraged.

Shandon as a place that visitors will be more attracted to.

• Shandon should be made a more coherent and accessible visitor experience. • The area’s unique features, history, and cultural offerings should be showcased.

Shandon as a place that is green, sustainable and takes climate change into account. • Green spaces should be made inclusive and welcoming, providing a range of activities for the community.

• Energy-efficient infrastructure should be implemented, and greenhouse gas emissions reduced • The potential for delivering climate-positive projects should be optimized by integrating approaches recommended in the Cork City GBI Strategy, Tree Strategy, and other good practices for sustainable development across all actions in the IUS.

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

This section presents the projects identified through the Integrated Urban Strategy (IUS) process as the most feasible and impactful for Shandon. It includes 14 site-specific projects and several non-site- specific projects across the study area, together forming an IUS for Shandon.

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

4.1 Integrated Urban Strategy The Integrated Urban Strategy is presented in this section through a series of maps that build to a strategic framework plan and then a summary of each site specific project within the plan. Non-site specific projects are then listed in a table. The following three plans show the accumulative impact of the site- specific projects through enhanced destinations, links and spaces.

Key Destination Projects Reinvigorating the existing destinations / character areas of Shandon Street and the Historic Heart of Shandon through the re-use of key buildings and enhancement to key spaces around historic assets in the area. Creating a range of enjoyable, green, inclusive and attractive destinations for locals and visitors. Key projects: Re-imagining Shandon Street; Shandon Heritage Plaza Project; Revitalising Shandon’s Green Spaces; Butter Market and Weighmaster’s House

Link/Connection Projects Enhance the coherence, safety, comfort and convenience of links and connections to the enhanced destinations within Shandon. Key projects: Reconnecting Shandon; Enhancing Quayside Laneways; Rejuvenating Old Market Place

Peripheral Public Realm Enhancements Creating more attractive, liveable residential areas in Shandon by turning existing road or hard landscaped space into green and useable public realm and / or pocket parks. Key projects: Rejuvenating Old Market Place; Eason’s Hill Green Spaces; Dominican Church Public Realm Enhancements

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

Figure 5: Integrated Urban Strategy for Shandon

SITE SPECIFIC PROJECT

Traffic Management / Parking Review Area

Re-imagining Shandon Street

Focal /Gateway Feature

Legion of Mary Building

Key Node / Junction Improvement

Shandon Heritage Plaza Project

Public Realm / Streetscape Improvement

Butter Market and Weighmaster’s House

Social and Green-Blue Street

John Redmond Street Buildings

Accessible and Welcoming Pedestrian Corridor

Park / Green Space Enhancement

Courtyard: A Hub for Music and Art

New/Enhanced Pedestrian Link

Revitalising Shandon’s Green Spaces

Landmark Buildings

Enhancing Quayside Laneways

Building at Risk / Potential Regeneration Site

Reconnecting Shandon

Existing Project

Pope’s Quay Public Realm Enhancements

Cycle Route

Shandon Bridge Public Realm Enhancements

Rejuvenating Old Market Place

Eason’s Hill Green Spaces

Upper John Street Mural

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

4.2 Shandon Street Character Area Projects

A. Re-imagining Shandon Street Junction Public Realm Improvements: Identify opportunities to influence positive interventions and outcomes associated with the Bus Connects Project including the junction of Cathedral Road and Shandon Street. Rest Spots: Add new rest spots along Shandon Street to enhance accessibility and inclusivity, integrating seating within wide footways or considering parklets. Focal Point: Reintroduce a focal point at the southern end of Shandon Street, such as public art, to attract attention from across the river. Greening Initiatives: Implement tree planting, planter units, rain gardens, and hanging baskets/window boxes to create a greener, more inviting shopping environment. Northern Gateway Mural: Create a mural on the northern gable end of Walsh’s Pharmacy to celebrate the street’s heritage, involving local artists and school children. Pedestrian Experience: Improve by removing unnecessary signage poles, bollards, and street clutter. Parking Strategy: Develop a coherent parking strategy for the southern end of Shandon Street, considering the needs of O’Connor’s Funeral Homes. Pocket Park: Transform the corner of Blarney Street into a tiered pocket park with seating and planting, and consider additional green areas along Blarney and Shandon Streets. Vehicular Entry Adjustments: Reduce the entry width to the parking area near garden allotments to create space for seating and planting, and tighten the vehicular entry onto Shandon Street to encourage slower speeds. Enhanced Links: Improve connections between Abbey Square housing area and Shandon Street by opening up existing laneways and enhancing passive surveillance along North Abbey Street. Junction Improvement: Redesign the junction to create a narrower crossing point at the southern end of Shandon Street, reallocating road space to footway space adjacent to ground floor units on the western edge. B. Legion of Mary Building Explore options and delivery mechanisms for the reuse of this significant and well placed heritage building with benefit for the local community.

Traffic Management / Parking Review Area

Focal /Gateway Feature

Key Junction Improvement

Public Realm / Streetscape Improvement

Social and Green-Blue Street

Accessible and Welcoming Pedestrian Corridor

Park / Green Space Enhancement

New/Enhanced Pedestrian Link

Landmark Buildings

Building at Risk / Potential Regeneration Site

Existing Project

Cycle Route

“Develop a strategy to support local businesses and regenerate Shandon Street”

“Improve the type and variety of commercial units on the street and insist on maintenance of the exteriors of the buildings.”

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

4.3 Historic Heart Character Area Projects

C. Shandon Heritage Plaza Project Public Awareness: Ensure suitable display of community noticeboard information within the plaza. Urban Plaza: Enhance the area between Church Street and Redmond Street with public realm improvements, greening, and place-making measures, designing out inappropriate/illegal parking to create a pedestrian-friendly urban plaza. Transport and Mobility Strategy: Undertake and deliver a transport and mobility strategy, including parking, to address current mobility issues and optimise the strong potential for enhancement of this historically significant public space in tandem with other identified projects in the area. Community Engagement: Engage the local community and businesses to revive the annual Street Festival and consider a Community Big Eat event along Church Street to celebrate local cuisines and cultures. D. Butter Market and Weighmaster’s House Explore the restoration and reuse of the Weighmasters House on Church Street, seeking uses that complement future plans for a enterprise centre in the Butter Market building. E. John Redmond Street Buildings Support efforts by Cork Community Landtrust (CCLT) to restore buildings at 6a and 7 John Redmond Street with a view to developing the CCLT Model for the wider benefit of the Shandon Area including the provision of community use with a potential link from the memorial park to John Redmond Street. Engage with the Community and Voluntary groups throughout this process. F. Revitalising Shandon’s Green Spaces Nature Play Areas : Introduce new nature play areas to encourage community and visitor use. Community Growing Spaces: Develop spaces for community gardening and growing. Sensitive Planting: Implement sensitive planting to enhance the parks’ natural beauty. New Pedestrian Link: Creation of a new access point from John Redmond Street to enhance permeability and legibility of the area and park.

Traffic Management / Parking Review Area

Regular Upkeep: Ensure regular maintenance of park gateways and boundaries. New Pedestrian Access: Create a new pedestrian access point to the Memorial Park from John Redmond Street, considering archaeological sensitivities.

By the Firkin Crane should be more of a

Focal /Gateway Feature

Key Node / Junction Improvement

square, outdoor seating, planters, café, connecting through to the courtyard of the Butter Market.

Public Realm / Streetscape Improvement

Social and Green-Blue Street

Accessible and Welcoming Pedestrian Corridor

Park / Green Space Enhancement

New/Enhanced Pedestrian Link

Landmark Buildings

Building at Risk / Potential Regeneration Site

Existing Project

Cycle Route

4. INTEGRATED URBAN STRATEGY

4.5 Additional Public Realm / Pocket Park Projects

4.4 Connection / Link Projects

K. Rejuvenating Old Market Place CHARACTER AREA: MARKETS Public Art and Greenery: Enhance Old Market Place with public art, permeable street surfaces, rain gardens, greenery, and consolidated parking. Incorporate historical references through interpretative signage and public realm design. Introduce pollinator planting to extend the Blarney Street Pollinator corridor. Pedestrian Accessibility: Improve pedestrian links between Cattle Market Avenue and the north-eastern corner of Old Market Place by widening footpaths and adding a new ramped link. Identify additional accessibility measures to integrate with current proposals for the Glen Ryan Road/Cattle Market Avenue corridor. Safer Junctions and Streets: Review junctions and movement corridors in the area with a view to the identification of improvements to safety and placemaking in accordance with best practise considering additional wayfinding for the local Rock Community Centre. Reuse of Industrial Buildings: Work with the derelict building team to explore reusing former industrial buildings on the infill site behind 393 Blarney Street. L. Eason’s Hill Green Spaces CHARACTER AREA: SCHOOL LANEWAYS Options for the transformation of existing hard landscaped areas along Eason’s Hill into greener, community-focused spaces with new play equipment, rain gardens, seating, vertical gardens/planting, and tree planting should be considered.

I. Pope’s Quay Public Realm Enhancements CHARACTER AREA: QUAYS Consolidate Parking: Improve the wide stretch of Pope’s Quay by consolidating parking. Add Seating and Greenery: Enhance the area with additional seating and greenery. Public Art and Feature Lighting: Incorporate public art or feature lighting to celebrate the historic and architectural significance of the buildings. Gated Play Area: Explore options for enhancing use of the gated play area adjacent to the entracnce to the Church. J. Shandon Bridge Public Realm Enhancements CHARACTER AREA: QUAYS Introduce Greenery: Add more greenery, rain gardens, and tree planting. Improve Surface Materials: Upgrade surface materials for a better aesthetic and functionality. Remove Road Markings and Traffic Wands: Clear unnecessary road markings and traffic wands. Create Outdoor Seating: Explore opportunities to create outdoor seating space by reducing or consolidating parking.

G. Enhancing Quayside Laneways CHARACTER AREA: QUAYSIDE LANEWAYS Lighting and Safety: Improve lighting, amenities, and safety of lanes off Pope’s Quay, especially Ferry Lane. Non-Slip Surfacing: Replace terracotta mono- block surfacing on Widderling Lane with non- slip materials. Murals and Outdoor Gallery: Identify walls or surfaces for additional murals, collaborating with local art collectives to create an outdoor gallery. Building Reuse: Work with heritage and derelict buildings teams to explore opportunities to bring buildings at the southern end of Ferry Lane into use. Restoration of Stone Walls: Remove cement render to reinstate stone rubble walls.

H. Reconnecting Shandon CHARACTER AREA: QUAYSIDE LANEWAYS, EASTERN GATEWAY, CATHEDRAL / ROMAN STREET AND INDUSTRIAL Wayfinding Measures: Explore opportunities to add value to the existing wayfinding strategy in terms of strengthening the east west connection in a historically sensitive way. Pedestrian Crossing: Install a new pedestrian crossing near the Dominick Street/Mulgrave Street junction to improve east-west movement, and explore expanding the footway to create a public space with planting and seating. Pedestrian and Cycle Improvements: Explore opportunities pedestrian and cycle enhancements along the Roman Road to Mulgrave Road corridor as part of a transport and mobility strategy for the area. Devonshire Street Enhancements: Improve the link between Devonshire Street and Mulgrave Street with new ramped access and consolidated parking. Place-making Measures: Collaborate with local artists to introduce place-making measures at the western end of Devonshire Street, including colourful murals and planting to create a vibrant entry point into Shandon.

“The Old Market Place Square could be turned into a no parking area and with more work done to it it could be restored to its former glory.”

“Improve spaces along Eason’s Hill”

“I’d like pedestrian crossings at the bottom of Mulgrave road/popes Quay and at the bottom of Dominick Street/ Mulgrave road.”

“Widderlings Lane, the gateway to Shandon, needs it’s beautiful red cobbles upgraded.”

M. Upper John Street Mural CHARACTER AREA: INDUSTRIAL

Commission a new community mural for the blank wall along Upper John Street, adjacent to the Heineken Plant.

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