Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Eamon Aylward, has welcomed this morning's announcement of €4.764 million from the Urban Regeneration Development Fund towards the implementation of the Abbey Quarter Masterplan.

The Cathaoirleach stated "with Phase 1 of the development, the redevelopment of the Brewhouse and the associated public realm areas, expected to commence in Quarter 1 of 2019, this is a significant boost. It is great to see the years of planning being rewarded."

The Abbey Quarter will be a mixed use development including commercial, retail, educational and residential uses, along with significant areas of public realm, including a riverside park and a two and half acre urban park around St Francis Abbey. These projects will be delivered in keeping with the Masterplan and Design Guidelines, previously adopted by the Council.

The announcement includes funding for Phase 1 of the Abbey Quarter public realm works, including the riverside park and skateboard park. The funding will also complete the public realm along the Medieval Mile down to St Canice's Place in Irishtown and link routes into the Abbey Quarter. The work is designed to bring tourists along the Medieval Mile and, in time, will help to bring unused properties back into economic use and regenerate the area.

Kilkenny County Council Chief Executive, Colette Byrne stated "the announcement is a National endorsement of the project which is to be welcomed and is timely, as we are ready to go to tender in the next couple of weeks for a contractor to deliver the redevelopment of the Brewhouse and the public realm areas surrounding it."
For further queries please contact: Tony Lauhoff, Senior Engineer, Kilkenny Abbey Quarter Development. Email: tony.lauhoff@kilkennycoco.ie. Phone: 056 7794305.