The announcement, by Minister Daragh O’Brien of over € 14.49 million to Cavan County Council under the Urban Regeneration & Development Fund will together with the matching funding of € 4.83 which Cavan County Council must provide will help transform this historic area in Cavan Town.
An investment of just short of € 20 million in the heart of our County Town will be truly transformative. Cavan County Council have worked closely with local property owners and brought in expert consultants to develop this plan. This funding allows for detailed design and construction. This plan takes account of the historic core of Cavan, centring on the Tower of the Franciscan Abbey. The concept is to develop a pedestrianised plaza with two key buildings, one a remote working centre the other a community services hub bringing under one roof a host of community organisations such as Citizen’s Information, MABS, Teach Oscoil and Breifne Integrated. The Council have acquired several buildings in and around the Abbey to create pedestrian links to Townhall Street, Main Street, Bridge Street and Abbey Street and have worked with a number of property owners to develop concepts as to how businesses can face out into the new core of the town.
The increased footfall, creative use of space, pedestrian areas all should create the environment for business to flourish and be a catalyst for further activity and life in the heart of Cavan Town, reduce vacancies and increase residential and business activity in the centre of the town.
This investment will create a truly people friendly core to Cavan Town. It must in addition to the investment by the Council generate investment from the private sector. It is very much in keeping with the Town Centre First and Regional Spatial Strategy.
I want to acknowledge the input of the consultants employed by Cavan County Council, the cooperation of local property owners, the interest of groups such as the Cavan Town Team and the Chamber of Commerce, the enthusiasm of the local community who have engaged in the plans to date but most importantly the hard work in making this application done by a small but dedicated team in Cavan County Council.
The next steps will involve detailed design, further detailed public consultation, the planning process and tendering for construction.
These are exciting times for Cavan Town, but this announcement is of significance for the entire County. The funding is the largest ever investment in urban regeneration in the County if not the region.
ENDS
John Paul Feeley
Fianna Fáil Member of Cavan County Council
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