Tenders for Kingscourt regeneration by year end

Tenders to appoint a team to undertake the planning and design of a major regeneration plan for Kingscourt town centre could be ready before the end of the year, The Anglo-Celt can reveal.

The Council is currently in the process of preparing tender documents to seek consultants for the scheme, for which €787,500 was obtained earlier this year under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund from the Department of Rural and Community Development.

In total the regeneration of Kingscourt town centre will cost just over €1 million, when complete with matched funding from Cavan County Council.

The application was submitted by Cavan County Council in partnership with Kingscourt Community Development Association, Local Enterprise Office Cavan, and Cavan County Local Development.

A key aim of the 'Kingscourt Town Centre Regeneration Project' is to develop a long-term strategic plan for the area that will deliver socio-economic, cultural and environmental benefits for residents, businesses, communities and visitors.

This will include a redesign of the town's Main Street, between Market Square and the Kells Road Roundabout, to allow for increased civic space in the town.

The plan will also address dereliction of local buildings, to include painting all buildings in the town core, and a proposal to open up 'backlands' for development of housing. The latter dovetails with attempts to increase employment locally by 1.5% per annum, and population growth of 20% between 2020 to 2040 (0.76% per annum).

It also includes the provision of off-street car parking in the town.

The council is understood to be examining closely a number of land options, near or close to the town centre, which could be used to develop a new off-street carpark.

The move will also likely factor in a new library for Kingscourt. The council has come under increasing pressure to deliver a new library facility due to the spike in student population at nearby Colaiste Dun Na Rí.

In the past councillors were told that the local authority has been searching for a suitably located landbank in Kingscourt, one that could be used both to solve ongoing parking issues while also providing a new library.

A number of funding positions are also being actively examined.