The Kilkenny Association of An Taisce has written to the Kilkenny Borough Council to express its disproval of plans to redevelop Johns Green.
In a letter addressed to town clerk Brian Tyrrell, Declan Murphy chair of the Kilkenny branch of An Taisce said that the plans for the proposed redevelopment were considered by the committee of the association who were “surprised and disappointed that it appears to conflict with the Kilkenny City Local Area Plan (LAP ) 2005, section 3.4.
“The LAP has as one of its objectives for Johns Green ‘limited short term parking to facilitate the existing uses’,” he said. “Johns Green should be an attractive miniature urban square, justifying its name and enhancing an important local centre.
“The proposed redevelopment will provide a total of 32 parking spaces, despite the fact that there are hundreds of parking spaces available within 100m at the Wolfe Tone Street car park, and MacDonagh Junction.”
Mr Murphy pointed out that the proposed park benches are marooned between parked cars and roadway, and “the proposed planting is unclear but is certainly minuscule”.
He declared the plan as “car-centred, with no indication of bicycle lanes, bicycle parking stands, bus stop, or even pedestrian pathways through the maze of car parking.
“As such its spirit is contrary to local, national, and international policies on car dependency, carbon emissions, and climate change.” He concluded by urging the council to reconsider the proposal.
