Roscrea traders concerned about new street plans

Plans to develop Gantly Road in Roscrea town centre into a new urban street have alarmed traders already conducting business in Roscrea, according to local elected representatives.

Roscrea's Gantly Road will receive a revamp valued at almost €6-million next year - a project which planners say will have a transformative and positive effect on the business heart of the market town.
 
Roscrea is the first Tipperary town to receive funding through the new Town Centre First Policy, which aims to reimagine and create a new blueprint for the future of a town through the development of a Town Centre First Plan and a community led Town Team.
 
The project will also see the delivery of the Gantly Street Age Friendly Neighbourhood, which will be a critical project for the delivery and implementation of the Roscrea Town Centre First Plan.

Gantly Street and Main Street run parallel to each other and one Councillor expressed concern connectivity between the two streets won't be convenient for the public

The process sees a Regeneration Officer from the local authority appointed to liaise with the community's Town Team. The new role is filled by Áine McCarthy, who addressed the members of the Municipal Council for the Roscrea area on Monday. 

However, local elected representatives and the business community are divided over the plans, with some elected representatives arguing the local authority's priorities for Roscrea are incorrect and that other public works need more urgent attention.

"It's a question of priorities", Cllr. Noel Coonan (FG) told the monthly meeting - adding that some traders currently in business in Roscrea fear the proposed Gantly Street "will become the new Main Street".

"It's a safety risk to try and park in Roscrea now and people are tripping on the footpaths and kerbs", Cllr. Coonan told the meeting on Monday. "Traders on Main Street need a decent roadway and paths", he said.

"It's about priorities - and Main Street is a huge priority", Cllr. Coonan said.

Concerns about connectivity between Gantly Road and Main Street also exist, he said, pointing out that the current most popular access point known as Gantly Lane closes daily at 5pm and is closed for much of the weekends.

"It needs to be convenient for the public to be successful", Cllr. Coonan said.

Councillor Shane Lee (Ind) had a more positive reaction from local traders and described the plans for Gantly Street as "a game-changer for Roscrea".

"We need to get this project over the line and show what we can do in Roscrea - a huge amount of work is happening in Roscrea and it has brought a boost in positivity among traders in the town", Cllr. Lee said.

"It is crucial that local groups and organisations get involved in the Town Team and the people of Roscrea are looking forward to working with Áine. The future is bright for Roscrea and the Town Team is where things will happen and the way forward", he said.

Councillor Michael Smith (FF) said he hopes the new Regeneration Officer will work with Tony O'Neill, the Council's Vacant Housing Officer, to formulate a plan to tackle Roscrea's high rate of dereliction and unused buildings.

"We have a lot of derelict buildings and it is a slow process bringing them back - have you plans to identify key sites in the town suitable for redevelopment?", Cllr. Smith asked. 

Áine McCarthy told the meeting the plan will "unlock the potential for the overall area" and will build on the momentum of the recently completed redesign of Market Square. The Town Team will be created over the next month and will hold its first meeting in December, with a completion time set for next summer.

Ms McCarthy said she will be a point of contact for the local community and will be available in Roscrea for in person consultation with people to discuss the plan as it progresses. 

"The Town Team will identify what the priorities are in Roscrea", she said. "Nobody knows better than the people of Roscrea what the real priorities are and that information will filter through to the District Administrator", she told the meeting.

Director of Services, Eamonn Lonergan assured the members that the new Regeneration Officer will be backed up by a multidisciplinary team "with a desire to make this work".

"Roscrea is the first out of the blocks with the Town First system in Tipperary", Mr Lonergan said.