Plans have been unveiled for a revamp and full pedestrianisation of Emmett Place in Cork city centre to create a new civic space.
It comes after it hosted a range of open-air gigs during the jazz weekend, with some complaints that cars were still allowed to access the area while it was packed with revellers.
Cork City Council said its enhancement plan for the area will extend pedestrianisation across the whole plaza, will involve the removal of the confusing set-down area on its northern side near Christy Ring Bridge, will include the decluttering of redundant street furniture, and the installation of new seating to create a new civic space where “the car feels like the visitor rather than the norm”.
As much of the existing street fabric as possible, including paving and cobbles, will be retained.
But the work won’t start until after the re-development of the Crawford Art Gallery in 2027, a project which includes the re-orientation of the gallery’s main entrance onto Emmett Place via the historic Customs House entrance.
City Hall said it hopes its plans for Emmett Place will complement the re-developed gallery but a spokesperson said the civic space work can’t be done at the same time as the gallery re-development because the gallery contractors will need space outside for cranes on what is a tight and busy city centre site.
The council now plans to use the time while the gallery is being re-developed to secure planning and funding to have the Emmett Place project shovel-ready once the gallery is re-opened.
The project, details of which have been published on the council’s online public consultation portal, will include the extension of the pedestrianisation of Emmett Place from the Opera Lane end to Lavitt’s Quay, with access to facilitate deliveries to the Crawford Gallery for temporary events, emergencies and servicing.
General traffic will be re-directed along Drawbridge St and onto Perry’s Lane, with the road from Half Moon Lane/Academy St towards Drawbridge Street being re-aligned.
It includes the re-alignment of the pavement on Lavitt’s Quay, and upgrades of the footways on Lavitt’s Quay from St Patrick’s St to Half Moon Lane.
Raised planters with seating will be built at the northern and southern ends of Emmett Place with a visual screen proposed for the front of the planter on Lavitt’s Quay to enhance the sense of an enclosed civic space.
Redundant street furniture such as bollards and road signage will be removed, and bike stands will be re-located to the edges of the space. The existing loading bay on Emmett Place will be re-located to the southern end, and the existing public lighting will be upgraded.
The closing date for submissions from the public on the plans is 4pm on January 10, after which the feedback will be considered, and a report will issue to city council for a decision.