2.6 Retail

2.6 Retail

The Primary Retail Core area in Killarney is incorporated within the Town Centre and includes High St., Main St., Plunkett St. and New St. Kerry County Council shall generally support new retail developments within the town centre area, as defined by the Retail Core. This shall be the preferred area for new retail development and regard shall be given to this in adopting the sequential test for new retail proposals. A retail strategy for the entire county will be undertaken within 2 years of the adoption of this plan.

Killarney Town Centre contains a significant number of service outlets, such as coffee shops, restaurants and bars relative to other Irish towns of a similar size. This results from the high level of tourist activity in the town, including day trippers and coach tour parties. The proportion of convenience retail units is low although it is acknowledged that Tesco is located within this core area. It is envisaged that during the lifetime of the Plan that the Primary Retail Core Area will become a magnet for convenience and comparison shopping to include high street retailing.

Kerry County Council is committed to ensuring the town centre area remains, commercially viable, active and buoyant. Key indicators for this include:

• diversity of retail functions
• environmental amenity & quality of the public domain
• vacancy rates on primary and secondary streets
• accessibility, pedestrian permeability
• perception of safety and occurrence of crime
• regular maintenance and effective cleaning

2.6.1 Retail Regeneration

Maintaining the vitality and vibrancy of Killarney and addressing the challenges of town centre renewal and regeneration is a key objective of the Plan to ensure the long-term sustainability of the town in terms of sustainable jobs growth and retail sales. Killarney town centre needs to build on its strengths from a social, cultural, heritage and economic perspective, strengthen its own identity, town centre experience and offering in order to secure its future.

In establishing the town centre as the main focus for retailing activity in Killarney and in order to provide new retail facilities to meet modern demands, it is important to encourage and facilitate retail redevelopment proposals at appropriate locations. A number of sites/areas exist that are suitable for town centre retail regeneration. These include:  New Street car-park, and Glebe Craft Quarter. Their redevelopment could be linked in turn to the Scott’s development, the Outlet Centre extending to the Old Torc site, forming a retail corridor for the town.   

2.6.2 Shopfronts & Signage

Killarney contains a number of traditional shopfronts, which contribute to the distinctive character of the town. The Council will encourage, through its Shopfront Design Guidelines (February 2018), the preservation and refurbishment of existing traditional shopfronts and name plates, and where appropriate the development of new high-quality shopfronts in traditional design. Non-traditional design shopfronts will only be considered if their design is sympathetic to adjacent facades and enhances, rather than detracts from the visual amenity of the streetscape. Kerry County Council has developed a Pilot Shopfront Enhancement Grant Scheme  for key locations in Killarney Town.

Areas identified as Regeneration Areas (See 2.4.3) will also benefit from significant reductions in development contributions as per the Kerry County Council Development Contribution scheme 2017. This together with the Council’s on-going commitment to public realm enhancements will create a suitable environment for future investment in the town and will significantly improve the town centre experience for retail outlet owners, workers, shoppers and visitors to the town.