A Laois County Councillor says that the recent allocation of €100,000 for Rathdowney will address ‘vacancy and dereliction’ in the town.
Fine Gael Councillor John King, who hails from Rathdowney, welcomed the allocation from the Department of Finance to Laois County Council to specifically devise a plan to revitalise Rathdowney.
This initiative is a key part of Our Rural Future – the Government’s five year strategy designed to reimagine and revitalise Rural Ireland.
It is also linked to the Government’s ‘Housing for All’ strategy and the forthcoming ‘Town Centre First Policy’, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
Cllr King said: “Rathdowney town is getting funding of €100,000 from Rural and Community Development to support the development of its own unique master town plan.
“The plans will cover the importance of place making, town centre living the social and economic purposes of the town and respond to emerging opportunities such as those linked to remote working, climate action and digitalisation.
“The plans will also be central to addressing vacancy and dereliction.
“I have made several requests over the last year asking Laois County Council to apply for funding for a town plan for Rathdowney.
“I wish to thank Angela McEvoy, Chief Planner at Laois County Council and Donal Brennan, Director of Services, who came out to Rathdowney to do a walk about with me and see the need for this funding.
“All groups, businesses and everyone living in the town will be asked to attend various meetings along with Council officials and town planners to put a plan in place for the future of Rathdowney.”
