Planning expert cites connectivity and footfall as reasons O’Connell Street struggles

Planning expert and Sunday Independent columnist Conor Skehan told The Pat Kenny Show that Dublin’s O’Connell Street is failing to overcome rising anti‑social behaviour and a lack of vitality.

Skehan said the street’s problems stem from its “very difficult” layout, noting that successful main streets in other Irish cities, such as Cork’s Shop Street and Galway’s Patrick Street, benefit from numerous connecting streets that generate constant foot traffic.

He explained that gaps between sections of O’Connell Street – for example the area between Henry Street and the Parnell Monument – create “big urban gaps” that act as magnets for anti‑social activity. The absence of the Carlton site further contributes to a “desert” effect.

The expert also highlighted a decline in footfall, with fewer cinemas and shops to draw people onto the boulevard. He argued that attempts to revitalise the street by focusing improvements on its centre are misguided; instead, efforts should enhance the routes people take into the city centre, such as exits from the DART and bus stops.

Skehan warned that simply adding “lipstick” to the GPO area will not solve the deeper issues of connectivity and diversity of uses on O’Connell Street.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Lucas Mosesson / Pexels.