Cork City Council has unveiled plans of the first phase of the €46.05 million Grand Parade Quarter project which will see a complete renewal of the area around the southern gateway to the medieval city.

It will also connect the Grand Parade and a series of historic lanes, streets and Bishop Lucey Park with the south channel of the River Lee and the city centre business core.

The works will be funded through the Government's Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) established under the Government’s Ireland 2040 programme and from Cork City Council’s own resources. The project represents the first application of URDF investment in the city.

Bishop Lucey Park is to be completely renewed based on an award winning architectural design that opens up the park to the wider city centre, re-imagines space within it, has many biodiversity gains and protects and highlights the city’s medieval wall.

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South Main Street will be transformed through the creation of a large scale public space opening up the historic Counting House on the Beamish and Crawford site and creating new walking and cycling opportunities around the area. The revitalisation will be further enhanced by a sustainable greening strategy with street trees lining footpaths and roadways with low level planting beds and a variety of planters bringing colour and vibrancy to the area.

In tandem with the Beamish and Crawford site works, complementary public realm improvements are to be made to South Main Street, Tobin Street, Tuckey Street, South Gate Bridge, Keyser's Hill, Proby's Quay, Frenchs Quay Crosses Green, Clarke's Bridge and Wandesford Quay.

The remaining and final element of the project will see the development of a state-of-the-art new city public library in the Grand Parade area.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher said: "The Grand Parade Project will create a wonderfully attractive environment providing accessible and inviting spaces and streets for residents and visitors alike. It will attract more people to this historic part of the city centre and be a great fillip to business."

The City's Chief Executive, Ann Doherty said: "The project is very much in keeping with our objective to 'Re-imagine the City' which the City Council has championed in the Covid era in collaboration with businesses, communities and other stakeholders. The greater receptiveness to change arising from today’s challenges has allowed us to fast forward many of our proposals and plans. The gains are very obvious - the permanent pedestrianisation of seventeen city centre streets, the facilitation of outdoor dining and a 'greening' of the city centre on a scale never previously seen."