Council extends Denny deadlines

THE Coronavirus outbreak has led Kerry County Council to extend the public consultation period on its plans for the initial development the former Denny factory site in Tralee.

The 2.3 acre site – which was donated to the people of Tralee by Kerry Group in 2014 – is eventually to be transformed into multi million Euro extension of the town centre, boasting a mixture of park and open amenity spaces along with a variety of commercial and residential units.

Public Consultation on the first phase of the council’s plans for the site had commenced in February.

However, due to the current health restrictions to combat COVID-19 the Department of the Housing, Planning and Local Government has advised that all public consultation processes that have been ongoing during the lockdown must now be extended.

“As a result the period for receipt of submissions on both Part VIII consultations on the Island of Geese site has been extended to April 27,” said a Council spokesperson.

“The proposals, which were published in February, represent the first significant on-site developments at the Island of Geese which was recently the subject of a design masterplan,” the spokesperson added.

The main aspect of the proposal under consultation would involve the development of a three-storey development with a retail or restaurant unit on the ground floor.

The second part of the proposal is for the creation of a public realm space that will cover approximately one-third of the site and include a linear landscaped park; the retention of the original red brick chimney stack as a special feature; and a public realm featuring paving, curved seating and a shallow amphitheatre as a focalpoint.