Calls for Town Team to be set up as €3.5 million Laois renovation project almost complete

There has been calls for a 'Health Check' to be carried out in Borris-in-Ossory in the hopes that the local community would be able to create their own Town Centre First plan and rejuvenate the area.

Councillor Conor Bergin made the request to Laois County Council's Regeneration Section who are responsible for carrying out such works at the January meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick MD.

The Regeneration Section was asked to carry out a 'Health Check' in the town as well work with community and voluntary groups to establish a Town Team which is needed for such a project. 

A health check is a project which appraises all the town's assets with the aim of supporting a Town Centre First plan down the line. This plan will then serve as a basis for future developments in the area as well as aid the Town Team and Laois County Council in securing funding for the proposals included within in it to revitalise the town.

As it stands, Laois County Council is working with four Town Teams across Laois with Mountmellick, Mountrath, Rathdowney and Ballylinan. They recently began working with Abbeyleix as well, with a health check currently underway in the town.

Speaking at the Municipal District meeting on Wednesday, 14 January, Cllr Bergin said: "It's the right time for Borris-in-Ossory because the courthouse project is going to be happening in the next 12-14 months. It's a major regeneration project for the area.

READ NEXT: Laois principal shares exciting updates on construction of brand new school

"There's a couple of properties on the main street that's up for sale at the moment. There was a huge issue with dereliction in the village the last couple of years. Hopefully if those properties change hands that there will be genuine interest in regenerating them and regenerating different parts of the village that have suffered the last 10 to 15 years."

Cllr Bergin emphasised that the ongoing project to renovate the derelict courthouse in Borris-in-Ossory could present an excellent opportunity for a Town Team to engage with the community and gather expressions of interest for usage of the courthouse.

The renovation project has been in the works for a number of years, with the ultimate goal being to repurpose the courthouse into a new digital hub for workers and potentially commercial space with possibly a café (see here for the courthouse's redesign plans).

Over €3.5 million was secured for the renovation of the building under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in 2024. At Monday's meeting, Laois County Council said it is expected to be completed within 12 to 14 months. 

In response to Cllr Bergin's motion, Denise Rainey of Laois County Council's Town Regeneration team said: "The Regeneration Section is currently working with 4 town teams across the county and have commenced a health check in a fifth town. While the Town Regeneration section is happy to support the efforts of existing voluntary or community groups in other towns such as Borris-in-Ossory, it does not have the resources to establish any further town teams at the current time.

"If a Town Team is established by the Community, The Regeneration Section can advise and support that Town Team. In the case of Borris-in-Ossory the Regeneration Section is committed to the regeneration of the Courthouse and will be working on this project for the next 12-14 months."

Cllr Bergin told the council: "It's disappointing, I would like to see a town team set up there because we already have an excellent community development and Tidy Towns association.

"It's an exciting time. The courthouse project has huge potential. I think if we can just get the consultation that will work with the community to try and see what interest is there, who would be interested in taking up space in it and what they could do in terms of creating jobs and bringing investment in. A chemist or a coffee shop would be great as well."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme