New plan for Wine Street Car Park area in Sligo



Sligo County Council has begun preparation of a new master plan for the Wine Street Car Park area of Sligo town.

The aim of the plan is to turn the area into a vibrant addition to the existing commercial core of the town.

For decades now, there has been discussions about what to do with the Wine Street Car Park area of Sligo town.

Despite various proposals and suggestions, it still remains just a car park, surrounded by various retail outlets.

But there has long been the desire that an area in the centre of a town such as Sligo should be much more.

A master plan for the area was prepared in 1999.

Its purpose was to create a clear framework under which developers, traders and retailers could invest with certainty.

The plan proposed the location of large-scale retail development, combined with multi-storey car parking, and the creation of a high-quality urban environment.

However, since 1999, although several developments have been permitted by the planning authority, only one of these — Johnston Court — has been implemented.

Now, because of the time that has elapsed since, the county council considers it necessary to review the plan.

The planning section of the county council has started preparation for a new plan, which consultants, Building Design Partnership (BDP), has been engaged to develop.

The BDP team, led by a landscape architect and an architect and regeneration expert, will hold what’s described as ‘an initial stakeholder consultation’ on Tuesday next, January 14th.

Councillors and people with an interest in the issue have been invited to what will be a public workshop, which will take place from 6:30  pm to 8 pm in the council chamber in the town hall.

According to the county council, the redevelopment of the Wine Street Car Park should be seen as a unique opportunity to enhance the overall attractiveness of the Sligo town centre as a place to live and work — and to promote as a regional and national shopping and holiday destination.



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