Support for public realm plan for Arklow Main Street

COUNCILLORS voted in favour of Part 8 paving the way for the construction of a public realm at the Parade Ground on Main Street Arklow.

The development aims to help stimulate commercial growth within the town and improve the town’s aesthetics. It should also make Main Street a more attractive place to set up a business.

The planned works will include the re-alignment of the footpath on the church side of Main Street, the construction of a raised paved toucan crossing in the roadway that will link the courthouse plaza to the parochial gardens, the construction of a pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Bank of Ireland, paving and landscaping of the area outside the church, removal of the walls and railings from the front of the courthouse building, paving and landscaping of the area outside the courthouse grounds and the erection a sculpture of Ronnie Delany outside the courthouse grounds.

The development will result in the loss of some parking spaces but Cllr Pat Fitzgerald said there was ample parking elsewhere close to the church.

‘Arklow main street suffered a lot with closures but I think we are on the way back,’ said Cllr Fitzgerald.

‘I know there were some observations and concerns over parking but there are 300 parking spaces 100 metres from the church and further parking at the back.

‘Some people may have been parking at the court house but that was never intended for public parking’.

He further felt that the public realm plan would make it easier for buses to manoeuvre around the town without holding up other traffic.

Cllr Pat Kennedy thanked the council officials for their work on the plan.

‘Arklow used to be the employment capital of south Wicklow but that is no longer the case. This will play a huge part in bringing Arklow back to where it needs to be’.

Cllr Miriam Murphy also welcomed the plan.

She said: ‘Arklow has been held back for many years now due to the lack of a sewage system. This is the start and I feel Arklow will be opening up to a lot of tourism. I want to thank the planners for their insight’.

22 councillors voted in favour of the Part 8, with no one voting against and with 10 members not present in the chamber of for the vote.