CORK City Council has given the green light for the iconic Queens Old Castle to be redeveloped.

The planning application was lodged during the summer by City Properties (Cork) Limited.

The works will involve the demolition and reconstruction of internal and some external elements of the existing block at all levels "within the curtilage of the existing pattern" in order to form two new smaller retail shops at ground level, fronting onto Grand Parade. 

There will also be a change of use of "a large portion of the ground floor" at the rear of the building from retail use to "retail and co-working office use (where the former Argos store and current Dealz stores are currently located)".

A new entrance to the co-working space at ground floor level accessed off Grand Parade is also to be constructed.  

Twenty-two conditions are attached to the approval.