It's set to open just off the N25, between Glounthaune and Carrigtwohill.

  Plans for a Kildare Village style outlet centre in East Cork have been in the works for years now. According to Breaking News, the €100 million retail outlet looks as though it will set up in Carrigtwohill. This is thought to be an ideal spot given its close proximity to Fota Island, Cobh, and Midleton. According to The Irish Examiner: "The proposed retail-and-tourist destination is to sell out-of-season and end-of-line goods at discounted prices", much like Kildare Village in County Kildare and The Boulevard in Banbridge, County Down.

Pushback and Delays

The outlet plans come from UK property company Rioja Estates, who hoped to open the centre by March 2024. However, there has been plenty of pushback. According to The Irish Examiner, environmental campaigners are against the outlet as it will require most shoppers to drive there. They also cite that Cork Business Association is against the location of the outlet, believing there's ample room for it elsewhere. On the other hand the Cork County Council were all for it. The Irish Examiner reports that:

"A council-commissioned study found it could be of significant benefit to the city's economy and "an important contributor to the life, vitality, and attractiveness of metropolitan Cork, as well as an important asset to the wider southern region".

Plans were put on hold as the Minster for Local Government and Heritage got involved, hoping to have the Cork County Council and the Cork City Council coordinate on the development. However, the High Court ruled in favour of the Cork County Council, stating it was not the Minister's place to get involved. You can read more on this HERE. Whether we will see this Kildare Village style outlet in East Cork by 2024 remains to be seen; however the way has been cleared to push forward with this style of shopping centre. Header image via Instagram/kildarevillage READ ON: Deliveroo teams up with Women's Aid to support the National Hotline