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23 Oct 2025
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23 Oct 2025
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A previous design study for the Sweeney’s Orchard site (2016) - final residential plans for the site are subject to change and have yet to be submitted
The provision of housing at the Sweeney’s Orchard site in Kilkenny City has been deemed ‘a priority’ and is set to be expedited after recent consideration of the Draft Abbey Quarter Masterplan User Guide.
The site had been earmarked for this purpose since the original masterplan in 2015, however doubt recently surfaced over this objective as the site had been suggested for other uses.
The area at Sweeney’s Orchard is already identified as a housing delivery site for the city, with capacity for 50 to 75 units (Kilkenny County Council Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022 -2026).
It must be noted that these homes are a minimum potential for this site.
According to the new Draft Abbey Quarter Masterplan User Guide, ‘Sweeney’s Orchard should be developed for housing in the first phase of development’.
City councillor Maria Dollard welcomed the news, stating that ‘housing is the biggest issue facing our society and public housing on public land is critical in the addressing of this issue’.
“Delivery of sustainable housing right here in the centre of Kilkenny is exactly what we need right now,” she added.
It must also be noted that the Sweeney’s Orchard site is not the only area where residential housing is being earmarked in the Abbey Quarter.
Overall, it is envisaged that approximately 385 housing units will be provided in the overall masterplan area (including at Sweeney’s Orchard).
It is expected that this will be a mix of both social and private housing.
This scale of delivery will satisfy the original objective of 30-35% of all development to be housing throughout the full masterplan area.
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