'Step in the right direction' for development of former army barracks in Tipperary
€94 million Preliminarily Business case made for Kickham Barracks in Clonmel
If successful, the €94 million Preliminarily Business case made for the redevelopment of the former Kickham Barracks would mean that up to 900 Further Education and Training students and over 400 Higher Education students could be studying on the Clonmel site.
That’s according to Cllr Siobhán Ambrose.
She said that the confirmation that the €94 million Preliminarily Business case had been submitted to Solas, who will review it and then send it to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland for their approval, was “great news and a step in the right direction”.
The proposal for the former Kickham Barracks is for a shared or a connected campus between the Tipperary Education and Training Board (TETB) and the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). The estimated cost for this proposal is €94 million and will involve the conversion of over 9,000 square metres, which includes both the conversion of existing buildings on the site and also new builds.
Cllr Ambrose says that €94 million reflects the enormity of the project.
“This would obviously be a great boost for the education sector in Clonmel and in turn will see the redevelopment of large sections of this site; and the potential footfall of up to 1,300 students using the site would also bring a very welcome economic boost to the town”.
Cllr Ambrose thanked the staff in the Tipperary Education and Training Board and TUS for the work that had gone into this application to date and she hoped that there would positive news regarding the application over the coming weeks.