Fears Kildare Village-style retail outlet in Cork may harm city trade

Proposals to develop a new Kildare Village-style retail outlet in Co Cork could undermine the fragile retail environment of the city centre, according to city representatives.

Cork County Council undertook a study into the viability of such a development, determining whether there was a need for a retail outlet in Cork and to identify possible locations.

The catchment area of an outlet centre “extends up to approximately midway between Limerick City and Galway City in the north and reaches Naas in the Greater Dublin Area in the east”, said the report, which notes three possible locations — two in Carrigtwohill and one in Midleton.

The study “indicates that there is scope and comparison retail potential capacity” to accommodate a retail outlet centre.

However, Cork City Council said it would not support such a proposal.

It described an outlet centre in the Cork Metropolitan Area as “premature” and said it would not support any proposals which would negatively impact on existing retail centres.

The Cork Business Association warned: “Cork city centre is the primary retail centre for Cork. Currently, the retail sector is extremely fragile.”