A transformative programme in West Cork is making Bandon’s streets work better for people, businesses and everyday life. Discover how.
For more than 400 years, Bandon has been an important hub for commerce and community life in West Cork. Its position on a major transport route has helped the town prosper and stay connected but has also brought heavy traffic through the centre, leaving less space for people to move around.
Following major investment in flood relief and water infrastructure, Cork County Council identified a broader opportunity: to rethink the streets as a connected network and create a town centre that feels safer, more accessible and better equipped for the future.
The Bandon Transportation and Public Realm Enhancement Plan (Bandon TPREP) was conceived to deliver that ambition. In March 2020, we were appointed to lead a town-wide programme of streetscape and public realm improvements across key routes.
Working from concept through to construction, we took a coordinated approach to public realm renewal – transforming how people move through Bandon, how its heritage is experienced and how the town centre responds to increasing climate pressures.
By combining local knowledge of Cork and its communities with global experience, we helped shape a programme that reflects Bandon’s character while drawing on best practice from around the world.
A connected, people‑focused street network
The scheme spans streets and public spaces across Bandon town centre, including South Main Street, North Main Street, Market Street, Bridge Street and Bridge Lane, MacSwiney Quay, Weir Street, Glasslyn Road and Ballymodan Place.
As lead designer and Employer’s Representative, we brought together transport planning, civil engineering, landscape and public realm design, lighting and construction supervision within a single integrated team. This enabled decisions to be coordinated across disciplines and gave the programme a consistent direction from design through to delivery.
Rather than treating each street in isolation, we considered the town centre as one connected network, shaped around how people move through and use it every day. On South Main Street – Bandon’s main retail street – the number of crossings was increased from one to four, making it easier to move between shops and services and supporting activity on both sides. Early monitoring shows that this has led to a 10 per cent increase in pedestrian footfall on the street.
Safety informed the design throughout, from vehicle speeds and crossing locations to the way people navigate the town centre. Bridge Street and Bridge Lane were reimagined as a raised, shared‑surface environment, with pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles sharing the same space. Removing through-traffic and slowing vehicles has created a more flexible public space where people can walk, spend time and gather for town-centre events, while retaining essential access.
Elsewhere, spaces such as Ballymodan Place have been redesigned for markets, community activity and everyday use, helping to draw more people into the heart of Bandon.
Rather than treating each street in isolation, we considered the town centre as one connected network, shaped around how people move through and use it every day.
Heritage and inclusive access embedded in the design
Bandon’s history is a defining part of the town’s identity, and its past as one of Ireland’s walled towns helped inform the design.
Granite paving, illustrated information panels and specially designed signs now trace the original route of the town wall through the streets, helping people see and understand Bandon’s story as they move around the centre.
Working with specialist partners, we created a pedestrian-focused wayfinding system that makes the town easier to navigate while revealing more of its industrial and architectural heritage.
Accessibility was considered from the outset. We worked directly with disability representative groups, including the Irish Wheelchair Association, to inform footway widths, gradients, surface finishes and the placement of street furniture.
We also shortened crossing distances at junctions, added new pedestrian crossings and upgraded bus stops to make them universally accessible.
Building greener, more climate‑resilient streets
Climate resilience was another important aspect of the design. Much of Bandon’s town centre was previously hard‑surfaced, limiting its ability to manage surface water during heavy rainfall.
To address this, the scheme introduces rain gardens and new tree planting that absorb and slow surface water before it reaches the drainage network.
Their effectiveness has already been tested during Storm Babet in October 2023, when more than 100 millimetres of rain fell over two days. Despite this extreme rainfall, completed areas of the scheme experienced no ponding or drainage issues.
In addition to improving flood resilience, the interventions are designed to enhance biodiversity, introduce seasonal variation and create a more attractive environment for residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Swipe through the gallery above to see images of Bandon’s new town centre
Engaging the town and delivering change
As design development and consultation took place during coronavirus restrictions, this called for new ways of engaging with the community.
Working closely with local stakeholders, we built on existing relationships to keep people informed and involved throughout the programme. Virtual exhibitions, online consultation rooms and 3D visualisations allowed residents to see the proposals clearly and experience how the redesigned streets would look and feel before construction began.
We also worked with local schools and community groups to make sure the plans reflected the needs of the town. At Scoil Phádraig Naofa, improvements included new pedestrian crossings, upgraded footpaths, safer junctions and changes to parking around the school to ease congestion at drop-off and pick-up times.
A school travel plan supported these changes by encouraging more walking and helping to create a safer, calmer environment at the school gate.
Construction was carefully phased to reduce disruption in the busy town centre, while delivering visible improvements early and maintaining momentum across the wider programme.
Bringing new life to the heart of Bandon
The Bandon TPREP is bringing new life to the town centre. Streets feel safer and easier to navigate, while new planting and more inviting public spaces are encouraging people to spend time in the heart of Bandon.
For Hilary Farrell of Farrell’s on South Main Street and a member of Bandon Business Association, the completed work represents a positive new chapter for the town:
The project was shortlisted for Best Regeneration Project at the 2025 Local Authority Management Awards and the Urban Revival category at the 2026 Excellence in Local Government Awards, recognising the significant contribution it is making to Bandon’s renewal.