€14m facelift for Kingscourt
A €14 million regeneration of Kingscourt town is being targeted by Cavan County Council.
Plans were outlined to council members at the Bailieborough Cootehill Municipal District Meeting recently, though funding for construction has yet to be secured.
The town centre regeneration project is set to transform Main Street, Kingscourt, between the Kells Road roundabout and Market Square, 300 metres of Rocks Road and the former builders merchants yard.
When complete, the project will lead to an increase in public space, see car parking moved to off-street locations, all utilities and cables placed underground and the facades of town centre buildings painted. Also included are plans for a new town library and a digital hub.
The town’s Main Street layout will also be adapted with significant public realm improvements to include new surface treatments, new car parking layout, landscaping and a segregated cycleway.
Off-street car parking including 126 new spaces will be introduced in the former builders merchants yard with a new access from Main Street and Rocks Road. This will require the demolition of existing buildings.
The works will also see public realm improvements to Market Square; the refurbishment of the former National Irish Bank for use as a library, and the refurbishment and extension of the former Bank of Ireland building for use as a remote working hub.
The proposed development involves works to both the former Bank of Ireland building and the curtilage of Shekelton’s Hardware, which are both protected structures.
Speaking at the meeting, Fianna Fáil Councillor Clifford Kelly said: “It’s going to give a major lift to Kingscourt.”
He stated that the new library, digital hub and community centre will be “of great benefit to the town”.
Fine Gael Councillor Val Smith commended those who made the concept a reality.
He specifically congratulated Cllr Kelly, who worked tirelessly to see the project’s fruition.
“He’s been harping on about this for the last 10 years, every time I met him,” he says as he turned to Cllr Kelly.
“I’m delighted for you.”
Following the meeting, a spokesperson from Cavan County Council, further confirmed:
“The anticipated total cost of the initial project development work is €1,050,000, for which Cavan County Council was granted €787,500 by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. The anticipated cost of the overall project is in the region of €12 million.
“At this stage it is not possible to be definitive on when the construction phase will commence, as the timeline to commencement is subject to the granting of funding.”
Cavan County Council is set to apply to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) to secure a grant towards funding the construction stage. The local authority anticipates that applications to the RRDF will open in the coming months.