{"id":648264,"date":"2026-10-08T06:06:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T06:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/648264\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T06:06:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T06:06:15","slug":"first-look-at-massive-revamp-plan-to-transform-blackpool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/648264\/","title":{"rendered":"First look at massive revamp plan to transform Blackpool"},"content":{"rendered":"

A major new project is set to completely transform a key Cork<\/a> suburb – adding new parks, cycleways, plenty of greenery and a fancy ‘village square’.<\/p>\n

Regeneration works will also be a core part of the scheme for Blackpool Village, which has just been unveiled by Cork City Council<\/a>. A select few graphics have been shared showing the overall vision for the project – as key focuses include making “new and improved” public spaces, improving connectivity and breathing new life into old buildings, streets and walkways.<\/p>\n

The strategy has been broken down into four key parts. These include plans for a new village square, a revamp of one of the area’s oldest laneways – Berwick Lane – and a ‘Blackpool Gateway’ along the North Link Road with a community garden and hillside landscaping.<\/p>\n

The fourth part of the Blackpool Village Strategy, ‘Activation Measures’, proposes establishing a ‘One Stop Shop Pilot’ to bring vacant and derelict properties<\/a> in the area back to life.<\/p>\n

Village Square<\/p>\n

The Village Square would be located around The Church of the Annunciation on Great William O’Brien Street. Here, the Council wants to create an “enhanced conservation-led public open space” with a “ceremonial gathering area” and plenty of landscaping and tree planting.<\/p>\n

Their main proposals are:<\/p>\n

A new civic stepped Village Square to the east of the Church of the Annunciation on Watercourse Road incorporating planters on the square and SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) including tree planting in the ground where possibleUpgraded congregational public realm south of the Church of the Annunciation incorporating SuDS at this low-lying pointImproved public realm and traffic calming to include closure of vehicular access from Great William O\u2019Brien Street to Commons Road and realignment of junction between Commons Road and Watercourse RoadConsolidated public open space along Great William O\u2019Brien Street incorporating SuDS with tree plantingFacade improvements and restoration of original colour scheme on the Church of the Annunciation.\"An<\/p>\n

An overhead drawing of the planned village square<\/p>\n

Berwick Lane<\/p>\n

This lane links Great William O\u2019Brien Street and Watercourse Road, currently has no footpath, and is used by both local and through traffic. The Council want to pedestrianise the area with:<\/p>\n

A public realm upgrade of Berwick LaneNew pocket park and community caf\u00e9 off Berwick LaneNew external space around Cork Community Art Link facilitating provision of additional entrance.\"A<\/p>\n

A drawing showing the planned Berwick Lane Project<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A top-down sketch of the Berwick Lane project<\/p>\n

Blackpool Gateway<\/p>\n

This step of the strategy involves reconfiguring the N20 crossing near Corkeran’s Quay to improve connectivity in the village. The Council want to use planting, trees and sustainable water management to “soften” the look of the surrounding infrastructure and “create a more welcoming gateway.”<\/p>\n

Their proposals include:<\/p>\n

Enhanced public realm along Assumption Road including improved accessible steps and rampNew community gardenImproved hillside landscaping, access and resting areas east of N20A shared surface along Corkeran\u2019s Quay streetscape, incorporating SuDS\"A<\/p>\n

A look at the proposed Blackpool Gateway<\/p>\n

Activation Measures<\/p>\n

The Council are proposing adding a dedicated One Stop Shop Pilot in Blackpool to support the reuse, refurbishment and reoccupation of vacant and derelict properties. This would be delivered through advice clinics four times a year, bringing together expertise from across Cork City Council and relevant partner organisations.<\/p>\n

The clinics will seek to streamline access to funding programmes, technical guidance and support services for property owners.<\/p>\n

What’s next?<\/p>\n

It’s a highly ambitious plan that would bring welcome transformation to the city’s suburbs – but keep in mind, things are still in their very early stages of planning. The massive revamp still needs to secure funding, and will need to be developed in coordination with a range of other projects and programmes – including the Blackpool Flood Relief Scheme and Bus Connects Cork.<\/p>\n

Cork City Council, together with the Blackpool Village Team, today launched the \u2018Blackpool Village Core Concept Design and Implementation Strategy\u2019 at the Blackpool Community Centre in the heart of the village.<\/p>\n

The event was led by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Damian Boylan, who said: “The preparation of this Strategy reflects the values of a community working together with a focus on achieving positive outcomes that improve people’s lives. It demonstrates what can be achieved through collaboration and provides a clear framework for the future regeneration of Blackpool Village.”<\/p>\n

Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O’Sullivan, said: “Blackpool Village was once a thriving hub on the City’s Northside. It is time to restore its vibrancy and enhance its distinctive character for a new future.<\/p>\n

“This Strategy provides a clear and practical roadmap for the regeneration of the village core. It will help unlock the potential of Blackpool’s built, cultural and community assets while reinforcing the role of the village centre as the heart of the community.”<\/p>\n

The full, extensive Blackpool Village Core Concept Design and Implementation Strategy is available to view on Cork City Council’s website here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A major new project is set to completely transform a key Cork suburb – adding new parks, cycleways,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":648265,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[14641,6037,61,60,43],"class_list":["post-648264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-cork-city","tag-cork-city-council","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=648264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/648265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=648264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=648264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=648264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}