Roscrea first in Ireland to launch new Town Centre First plan

ROSCREA is the first town in Ireland to successfully launch the new Town Centre First blueprint, after being selected as one of only 26 towns chosen from around the country.

Roscrea was the first in the country to make it out of the starter blocks last week, when the culmination of over five years of planning and behind the scenes work was unveiled in Damer House on Wednesday last, at a launch event attended by elected officials and local authority planners.

Also attending the launch were the members of Roscrea's new Town Team with their leader Brian King, a group of stakeholders formed as part of the new scheme who represent the business and residential community.   

The plan was built on information gleaned from extensive public consultation and surveys and strikes a balance between what is bravely ambitious and realistically achievable.  

Roscrea is one of Ireland's oldest market towns, an identity born at a crossroads on the ancient Slí Dala business thoroughfare which once transected the country and this shapes how the town is anticipated to evolve - where tourism and spaces dedicated to social activity are some of the most exciting proposed changes. 

Speaking at the launch, proud and well known Roscrea native, Brian King said it’s particularly gratifying that Roscrea is the first town in Ireland to launch a town plan under the Towns Team initiative. 

"I hope what can be achieved in Roscrea will be a beacon for other nominated towns around the country both now and in the future" Brian, the Town Champion who leads the Town Team, said.

"Roscrea has had many plans over the years - for our new town plan to succeed we need all the stakeholders to rally behind it. Open-mindedness and respect for the valuable input gathered from the local community during the consultation process are fundamental to the plan's future success.

"For our town it's important we think big and it's important to have a vision. It's also important for the growth of our town that we identify projects that are not just dreams, but that are achievable goals. I firmly believe that our plan embodies this spirit", Brian King said. 

He said the Town Team is a "great mix of people passionate about getting the best for Roscrea" - people who have all been involved in community projects for many years. "I hold the Town Team members in the highest regard and without their commitment today's plan launch wouldn't have been possible", he said. 

Brian also reserved a special mention for Town Team members Shauna and Brian, who recently lost their fathers Des Walsh and Bernie Colclough - both men who played such an important role in the local business community and who worked towards bettering the town.

"I knew them both well - they worked hard and were great personalities in their own right and they, like the countless Roscrea volunteers who have gone before them, will be very sadly missed.

"We owe it to Des and Bernie and all who are no longer with us and have done so much for Roscrea over the years. We owe it to the generations yet to come and to ourselves as a community to deliver on as many projects in this plan as possible and bring as much growth, vibrancy and prosperity to Roscrea as we can over the coming years", Brin King said.

Vacant and Derelict Properties Event

Áine McCarthy, Town Regeneration Officer with Tipperary County Council and appointed to the Roscrea project, also addressed the launch and announced the local authority in collaboration with the newly formed Roscrea Town Team will host an
information evening for owners and leaseholders of vacant properties to hear about supports available to them. 

The event will take place in the Annex in Damer House in Roscrea at 6p.m on the
20th of November and is free to attend. On the evening, council officials will speak on the various schemes and supports available in Roscrea including the Vacant Homes Refurbishment Grants scheme.

The ‘Croí Conaithe’ scheme with grants of up to €50,000 and €70,000 being made available by the Government, and administered through the Local Authority, is proving to be very popular and is bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into residential use across the county at present. 

The Vacant Homes Officer, Nevan Phelan will provide information on how to access the various grant schemes and provide examples of where the schemes have been successful in the county.

Anne-Marie Devaney, A/Senior Planner from the Planning and Development Department will present on vacancy and planning policy, and Martin Moore, Assistant Chief Fire Officer working with the Fire and Emergency Services Department will present on fire safety and building control requirements for people interested in bringing their vacant properties back into use for residential and commercial activities. 

Sharon Scully, Administrator for the Municipal District, will provide an update in relation to enhancement schemes available in Roscrea over the next twelve months and finally, there will be an opportunity to hear from the newly formed Roscrea Town Team and Town Champion Brian King, on their plans to deliver elements of the Roscrea Town Centre First Plan in collaboration with Tipperary County Council.

Commenting on the event planned for November, Áine McCarthy said: “By bringing the various departments within the Local Authority together to provide information on planning legislation, building control and fire regulations, and grants available around vacant and derelict properties will enable vacant property owners and leaseholders in the town centre to be well informed on the next steps they can take in bringing their properties back into use.”

"Organising the information evening is one of our first actions to try to create an awareness around the supports available to tackle vacancy and dereliction in Roscrea,” Brian Kind added.

For more information on the information evening and the Town Centre First Plan for Roscrea you can visit  tipperarycoco.ie/ roscreatowncentrefirstplan