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
C
A
Cathedral Street
Upper John’s Street
D
A
B
Mary’s Lane
B
E
Bob and Joan’s Walk
Dominick Street
D
Devonshire Street
E
C
Mulgrave Street
19
Powered by FlippingBook