Penneys secures planning permission to upgrade flagship St Patrick's Street Cork outlet 

Plans are scaled back version of the complete overhaul mooted in 2021

Penneys flagship Cork city centre store on St Patrick's St is set for a 6,000 sq ft expansion.

IRISH clothing retail giant Penneys has been cleared for the expansion of its flagship Cork city centre store after planners gave the green light, subject to a number of conditions.

The multi-million euro expansion plan proposes adding 6,000 sq ft to the St Patrick’s St premises in a redevelopment that will involve the amalgamation of adjoining buildings to create a significantly expanded, modernised retail unit. The new store size will offer 40,500 sq ft of retail space, and the retailer has previously said it will remain open while the work is ongoing.

The development will bring several long-vacant units back into use, including the former Jack & Jones store on St Patrick’s St, as well as a vacant unit at No 1 Cook Street. These units, along with neighbouring Flying Tiger, are set to be incorporated into an enlarged Penneys.

The retailer also plans to refresh and modernise its existing store, including relocating escalators “to provide a better store flow and shopping experience”.

The approved expansion plan is a substantial redrawing of what was originally on the cards when Primark Ltd in partnership with O’Flynn Construction, first sought permission to expand its premier Cork store in 2021. That €60m project - which proposed adding 17,000 sq ft and took two years to get through the planning system - was subsequently put on hold. Penneys said at the time that planning delays and rising construction costs had impacted its decision. It had also invested €4m in its Wilton store during the intervening period.

The original proposal would have seen Nos 1-3 Cook St amalgamated as part of the redevelopment plan, but Nos 2 and 3 were not part of the scaled-back plan. Penneys may instead sell some of the smaller units that it acquired as part of a 10-year block assembly, assisted by O’Flynn Construction.

The permission Penneys has now received will allow the redevelopment, amalgamation and refurbishment of retail units at 27-34 St. Patrick’s Street, 99-102 Oliver Plunkett St, 1 Cook St and 4-7 Robert St. Works to be carried out include the cleaning and painting of all facades, and new exterior signage, the relocation of customer escalators to provide a better store flow and shopping experience. It also includes new and refurbished back-of-house areas for Penneys’ workers.