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
D
A
Church St
The Living Common
B
C
D
C
Blarney St
Former Post Office
Shandon Green Garden Allotments
B
North Abbey Street
Pope’s Quay
A
16
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