
It plans to open much of the 2.5 hectare site to the public.
Bord na Móna plans to open its headquarters, in Newbridge town centre, to the public, for the first time in 200 years.
The firm has tendered for the design of its new company HQ, involves an area of circa 2.5 ha (c 6.2 acres) in the centre of the town.
The brief for the redevelopment includes a number of green corridors and public amenity areas and the company also intends to ask local schools for their ideas and inputs on ways to boost biodiversity on the site.
The plan also involves a mix of commercial, retail and residential development on other parts of the site.
It is envisaged that the redbrick, former British Army Officers recreation building, at the centre of the site will front onto one of the proposed green areas for public amenity.
The redesign is in line with KCC’s approved local area development plan.
Bord na Móna Chief Executive, Tom Donnellan said “The Bord na Móna site in Newbridge is important not just to ourselves but to people in the community and county. I am happy that our headquarters will remain here and that for the first time in two hundred years this site will be opened up to the people of Newbridge.
The company says, following the redesign, planning and construction process the site will open up in a number of ways including:
A new East-West pedestrian corridor through the site that will connect the main retail area centred on Whitewater Shopping Centre with the town’s cultural and amenity centres including the Liffey Walk, Library, Riverbank Theatre and St Conleths Park.
New public access points onto the Main street, the Athgarvan Rd and St Conleths GAA carpark
A new green corridor and vehicular access route linking Main Street with the Athgarvan Road.