Development potential in Kinsale town on the market for €900,000

A Kinsale town centre brownfield site, formerly a pub, is for sale at €900,000, offering strong mixed-use development potential with pre-planning support.

The site in The Glen, Kinsale.

A brownfield site close to Kinsale town centre that previously housed a pub is on the market with a guide price of €900,000.

The irregular shaped site in an area known as the Glen, is near Pearse St and extends to about 0.16ha (0.4a). It was formerly home to O’Driscoll’s Bar, which closed in 1995 and has since been demolished.

ERA Downey McCarthy are handling the sale on behalf of a local family and describe the property as “a superb site with development potential, subject to planning permission”. They add that road frontage is good, at about 15m.

While the pub building is gone, the vintners' licence remains in place, potentially offering hospitality, retail, or mixed-use development.

According to the agents, recent pre-planning discussions with Cork County Council indicate that support for the redevelopment of brownfield sites with a suitably balanced, mixed-use scheme are likely to be viewed favourably.

The county development plan notes low levels of vacancy within the town and that additional building stock is likely to come from brownfield/infill sites.

Local historians often recall the Glen as having a stronger working-town character than the tourist-focused centre, with a number of family-run pubs serving dock workers, fishermen, and local residents. Many disappeared or changed use as Kinsale evolved into a premier tourist hub.

Surviving on the site are two large arches carved into cliffs, significant enough to be placed on the protected structures record, but with no official explanation as to their original function.

While mains services are adjacent to the site, the agents said it’s likely any new development will require new connection agreements with utilities.

They add that “offers in the region of €900,000 may be considered”.

Kinsale is one of Ireland’s premier tourist destinations and the location of a world class golf course at The Old Head. Other amenities include Kinsale Yacht Club with its extensive mooring and berthage facilities.

DETAILS: Seán McCarthy, E: [e-mail]; Ger White E: [e-mail] T: 021 4905000.