Applications are invited in Laois from within the following towns and villages for funding of streetscape and shopfront enhancement projects under the 2021/2022 Town and Village Streetscape Enhancement scheme:
- Mountrath (Click here to view map)
- Mountmellick (Click here to view map)
- Rathdowney (Click here to view map)
- Ballinakill (Click here to view map)
- Ballylinan (Click here to view map)
Commercial, residential or unoccupied buildings are eligible to apply for this scheme.
Contact the Business Support Unit to clarify if your property is located within a designated area in your chosen town.
Our Rural Future is the Government’s five-year strategy to revitalise rural Ireland and includes a commitment to upgrade and enhance shopfronts and street facades in our rural towns and villages.
This activity will be funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development (DRCD) through this 2021/2022 Streetscape Enhancement Measure. This is an additional Measure introduced as part of the Town & Village Renewal Scheme. €7 million is being made available under this Measure.
Improving the visual appearance of our urban streetscapes increases pride and confidence in our home towns and villages, making them more attractive places to live, work and do business.
The focus of this measure is to support the upgrade and enhancement of shopfronts and street facades of defined areas within selected rural town/village centres.
Eligible Works
Eligible works include painting, signage replacement, shopfront improvement, scaffolding, materials, lighting and planting; see also below:
- Green enhancement of entrances/ terraces with planting (Maximum grant funding €500)
- Painting of building/shopfront in carefully selected colours which will complement the host building and streetscape.
- Mural which must agreed in advance with Local Authority (Maximum grant funding €1,500)
- Decluttering and repair of shopfronts; decluttering can include such works as removing unnecessary signs, flagpoles, wiring etc (Maximum grant funding €2,000)
- Careful illumination and lighting of architectural features of buildings. (Maximum grant funding €4000)
- Improvements to shopfront window displays and staging. (Maximum grant funding €4000)
- Replacement of signage with traditional wooden fascia with wooden/hand painted lettering OR contemporary design (Maximum grant funding €4000)
- Canopies/Awnings complementary to the materials of the shopfront and building (including street furniture) (Maximum grant funding €4000)
- Replacement of existing shopfront with traditional painted wooden shopfront OR contemporary design (Maximum grant funding €4000)
Maximum per building €8,000
Grant Rates
Grant funding will be provided at the following rates:
- 70% for Individual premises – matched funding 30%
- 80% for Joint applications (groups of 3 or more adjacent premise)s – matched funding 20%
- 100% – Where painting is undertaken by direct labour by applicant
Closing date
The closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday 28th February 2022. All works must be completed by Tuesday 3rd May 2022.
Procurement requirements for applications/quotations
The following procurement rules apply, as a minimum, to the individual projects funded:
- 2 x Contractor quotations;
- 1 x Materials quotation;
- (Note: 3 written quotations for contracts above €5,000 as per National Procurement
- Guidelines)
Successful applications will require:
- Completed Application Form.
- Required Quotations
- Photograph prior to commencement of project
Payment of Grant Award will require
- Photograph of completed project
- Evidence of payment – ie bank statement extract showing transaction
For any queries on this scheme please contact Michael Timmons in the Business Support Unit at Laois County Council – Telephone : 0578664202/email: businesssupport@laoiscoco.ie
Applications can only be made online for this scheme.
Click here https://submit.link/w6 to apply for the scheme
