Tuesday 26 June 2007

Traffic issues to determine €30m town project

A NUMBER of key traffic issues will have to be resolved in Tralee before a €30 million project goes to the planning stage, it emerged yesterday.

Proposals have been drafted for a conference and exhibition centre at Fels Point, Tralee. Behind the venture is developer Liam Carroll, owner of the Fels Point Hotel.

Tralee, however, has chronic traffic/parking problems and measures will have to be introduced to improve the situation.

Recently, traffic in Tralee was almost brought to a standstill when about 2,000 farmers came to town for the annual meeting of Kerry Co-op.

There are plans for a ring road but it looks as if it will not be built for many years to come. Members of Tralee Town Council have been shown Mr Carroll’s plans which are for a site next to the hotel.

The three-storey complex would include a 3,800-seat conference and entertainment centre, which would be capable of drawing high profile events.

It is also possible the annual Rose of Tralee festival would be held there. This year’s festival will be based at the Fels Point Hotel.

In Killarney, property developer and businessman Pat Duggan has plans to revitalise High Street for shopping.

His €20m proposal is for a four-storey retail and parking complex which would involve the demolition of a bar and the former Hilliard’s shoe factory building. A 260-space car park is also included.

In recent years, all of the substantial new shopping developments in Killarney have been in out-of-town locations.

Irish Examiner

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