€1.2 million allocated for new Digital & Enterprise Hub in Nenagh

THE Rialto Digital & Enterprise Hub, Nenagh has been allocated a sum of €1.2 million, which will see the transformation of a former cinema in the town. It is one of the projects for which funding under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) was announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD on Thursday last.
The funding under Category 2 of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund will allow the project to be progressed through design and planning and brought to the point where an application can be made for Category 1 funding to carry out the works.
The main focus of allocations under this fund is the rejuvenation of town centres, driving economic growth and footfall, combatting dereliction and boosting tourism in Rural Ireland.
The former Rialto Cinema, which is a protected structure, was acquired by Tipperary County Council in December 2020. The ‘Rialto Digital and Enterprise Hub’ project is an exemplar sustainable, town centre regeneration project that will engage in place-making and revitalise the town centre of Nenagh through provision of much needed incubator enterprise space, public realm enhancement and the redevelopment of a back-land brownfield site through planning for the delivery of town centre homes.
A masterplan will plot the sustainable re-imagining of the iconic 1940’s cinema building into a modern digital and enterprise hub facility using best practice and appropriate modern architectural intervention to provide excellent office, collaboration and meeting spaces. The associated brownfield site will be master-planned to explore the potential for further digital and enterprise office space, the creation of a new streetscape along Emmet Place, the potential provision of town centre residential units and the delivery of a new public amenity heart in the town centre.
The total cost of this phase of the project is €1,511,059 of which €1,208,847 will come from the RRDF.
The Nenagh RRDF application was submitted by Tipperary County Council in partnership with the Nenagh & District Chamber of Commerce, North Tipperary Development Company and the Local Enterprise Office.
Welcoming the funding announcement, Cllr Michael O’ Meara, Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District, said “this project will become a fourth pillar in the proposals for the Historic & Cultural Quarter of Nenagh and will complement the substantial investment in the public realm and infrastructure of the town. The proposals will be transformational for the town centre while still ensuring that the heritage architecture of the former Rialto is maintained and that a vacant iconic building is brought back into productive use. With changes in working practices, there is a growing demand for co-working and smarter working spaces. The Rialto is an ideal location for this purpose and will generate significant footfall that will benefit local businesses as well as facilitating local enterprise”.
The ‘Nenagh Workspace Study’, commissioned by Nenagh Municipal District in 2018 highlighted the absence of co-working, incubation and remote working space in Nenagh and its hinterlands and identified that this was a significant inhibitor to economic growth in Nenagh and the region.
Director of Services for Nenagh Municipal District, Marcus O’Connor, said the project would make a significant contribution to Nenagh and the District in terms of employment, facilitating jobs both directly and indirectly. “The purchase of the Rialto by Tipperary County Council has enabled this project to be developed. The funding announcement will allow us to progress the project which has the potential to generate an on-going return to the local economy as well as preventing dereliction in a prominent town centre location”.
The next steps will be the procurement of a team of consultants to progress the completion of the detailed design and the Part 8 planning process.
Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn has welcomed the announcement.
Senator Garret Ahearn said “The hub will replace a disused cinema in the town and the plans will also see the re-development of a brownfield site behind the hub, a new streetscape and will explore the potential provision of town centre housing and a new public amenity.”
The plans have a strong focus on combatting dereliction, increasing the vibrancy of towns and villages and attracting people back to rural Ireland. This multi-million euro investment aims to bring ambitious regeneration and economic development projects to full readiness.
The funding is being invested in projects that will rejuvenate town centres, drive economic growth and footfall, combat dereliction, develop pedestrian zones and outdoor spaces and boost tourism in rural Ireland.
The applications for funding were subjected to a comprehensive assessment process by the Department, with oversight provided by an independent Project Advisory Board, made up of representatives drawn from key Government Departments along with external independent experts.
Senator Ahearn said “I want to acknowledge the excellent work by the chief executive of Tipperary County Council Joe MacGrath and Nenagh district manager Marcus O'Connor for putting the application forward and Councillor Ger Darcy for pushing this project politically with Minister Humphreys and other Ministers whenever they visited Nenagh or Tipperary.”
"This will be a positive addition to Nenagh along with the announcement last March of over €9 million for the town under the Urban Regeneration development Fund. It is yet another example of Government recognising the important role rural towns can play to support people and families that want to live and work in communities outside of the large urban cities,” concluded Senator Ahearn.
The news was also welcomed by Deputy Michael Lowry. "These monies will bring the projects through the development stage and to the point where they are ready to commence works’," he says.
The Nenagh development is one of 27 landmark regeneration projects nationwide valued at €21.5m that will see old schools, cinemas, courthouses and vacant buildings transformed into remote working hubs, creative studios, visitor centres, museums, libraries, enterprise, heritage and community spaces.