Submission re 'Abbey Quarter Draft Urban Design Code' :
My comments on the 'Abbey Quarter Draft Urban Design Code' are as follows:
I object to the proposal , because the first thing we need in Kilkenny is housing. Homes for people should be number 1 priority.
I do not believe we need any more hotels. There are plenty of hospitality businesses.
I would agree to a school, but maybe a secondary school would be more appropriate. The skate park could be close to the school and maybe a community centre for arts and sports. Housing is what people want and what was agreed at the consultations 2 years ago.
We could do with a bus park (or a park n ride) but not multi-storey and not in the middle of a medieval city.
I object to the site being used as bus/car park, as the area is totally unsuitable. I had already objected to that huge ugly bridge, as it looks out of place, a multi-storey car park would totally destroy the area. It would bring more traffic and pollution and would make the area undesirable for tourists. Although I don't like the new St.Francis bridge, driving over it gives tourists a good view of the city, but not if the first thing they see is a huge car park.
Archaeology still needs to be done on the site to properly evaluate it.
We do not need more traffic, concrete or chrome. We urgently need homes! Decent and affordable homes, not huge high rise apartment blocks, but decent houses with small private gardens and parking spaces.
A multi-storey car park was never mentioned at any of the consultations, while housing was discussed in detail.
Hoping you will reconsider.
Yours sincerely,
Kersty Evans