Madam, - In a report by Frank McDonald (December 1st) on the Heritage Council's objections to the proposed central access route in Kilkenny, Mayor of Kilkenny Pat Crotty was quoted as saying that the city had won the Academy of Urbanism's Great Town Award because "what we're proposing, what we're doing and what we've done to date is exactly what needs to be done . . ."
The academy would like to make it clear that last year's assessment process was based on the academy's core principles of governance, local distinctiveness and sense of place, commercial success and viability, functionality, environmental and social sustainability and user friendliness, based on what we found at the time of our visit.
The academy does not comment or give advice on future projects. - Yours, etc,