Council seeks €30m funds for regeneration plans in Offaly

Offaly County Council, Coillte and Waterways Ireland have applied for over €30m from the government's Urban Regeneration and Development Fund 2018 for a range of ambitious local projects.

In addition to the €2.5m sought for a study to assess Tubber's suitability as a location for an international airport, the council has applied for almost €9m for a number of projects in Tullamore including funding for an urban greenway, playground enhancement and the arts centre.

The council also applied for almost €2m for works in the Banagher area, including a feasibility study for a greenway to Shannon Harbour and public realm works on the town's main street and marina; €2.6m for projects in Edenderry including a “masterplan” for JKL St and the enhancement of Blundell Park; almost €1m for a number of road improvements in the Kilcormac area and €200,000 for preparatory work to transform Birr Courthouse into a creative hub.

Waterways Ireland has also applied for €12m from the fund for the regeneration of Tullamore Harbour as a mixed use water development that would include apartments, offices and an enterprise hub.

Coillte has applied for over €13.5 million to complete mountain trail centres in the Slieve Bloom Mountains and other locations around the country.

The €2bn Urban Regeneration and Development Fund is one of the cornerstones of the Project Ireland 2040 – the government's National Planning Framework and National Development Plan and is is intended to drive regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland's cities and large towns.