Consultation finally starts on 'diagnosis' to keep Laois town 'alive'

The first consultation meeting has finally taken place in Rathdowney to draw up a blueprint for the town led by a team from a big profession consultancy company.

With little fanfare, KPMPG Future Analytics hosted two drop in community clinics as part of the ongoing consultation for the ‘Rathdowney Town Centre First Plan’.

Members of the community were invited to workshops in the community Centre to give their views on Rathdowney and learn about the project on November 26-27 in the Rathdowney Community Centre.

The workshops come more than a year since it was confirmed the Laois County Council would get public money to draw up a plan for the town.

It was later announced n December 2021 that the council would get €100,000 to deliver the first ever Town Centre First Plan. A statement at the time said the funding will be key to tackling dereliction and revitalising town centres. Rathdowney was one of 26 towns to be given funding.

Cllr John King, Fine Gael, asked about the status of the project at a recent meeting with officials in County Hall.
He said the money was given to address the 'huge dereliction' in the town. To address this Cllr King said he would propose that owners of such properties would be charged for leaving them vacant.

He said the plan is 'badly needed' in a town with a great history.

“Rathdowney needs a facelift to keep the town alive,” he said.

He was told that The Town Centre First (TCF) Plan will facilitate that response so that Rathdowney can function as the sustainable and vibrant heart of the communities it serves, in ways that are adaptable and appropriate to 21st Century needs.

Mr Donal Kiely, Senior Executive Planner, gave more details of how the process will work in a written reply.

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“The plan will be underpinned by a clear diagnosis of local strengths and challenges. It will be driven by the local community and businesses as part of a Town Team which will be supported by the Local Authority. To deliver on its objectives the plan will seek to access funding from the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund,” he said.

He addded that councillor of Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District and the Town Team would be further appraised on November 23 of the specific nature of the project and the work carried out to date and to garner items of interest to be included in the Plan.

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The council confirmed in March 2021 that it intended to scope out the possibility of completing a public realm project in Rathdowney similar to what had been done in Portlaoise and Portarlington.

Councillors James Kelly and Ollie Clooney welcomed the project. Cllr Kelly said it is need to attract people to come back to the town to live while Cllr Clooney believed that stiffer penalties are needed to bring an end to dereliction.