Blueprint for the revival of Mayo's county town
Wide-range of potential solutions put forward by business and community group
The newly-formed Castlebar Business and Community Forum has made a detailed submission to the new Town and Local Area Plan 2021-2027 which includes a wide range of interesting points worthy of strong consideration.
Under the heading of health, education and biodiversity, the forum highlighted the lack of good quality housing to buy or rent, it stated the Mall is poorly maintained, retail is reducing, streets are taking on a derelict appearance and the issue of creating places to gather and socialise needs to be addressed.
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
1. Some council lands need to be allocated into 5/6 house estates for high quality housing with planning permission and services on site.
2. Develop an overall blueprint for the town centre.
3. Create/design a boulevard concept for Main Street (pedestrian only and covered in).
4. Incentivise people/families to move into town centre.
5. Incentivise re-building.
6. Eliminate onerous burden on refurbishment of historic buildings.
7. Proper maintenance of Mall.
8. Indoor market and food emporium in Castle Street.
9. Plan for a vibrant night economy.
10. Decorative art on buildings.
11. Shop front signage and street signs upgrade.
12. Decorative lighting.
13. Garden plots/fountains/water features at select areas.
14. Encourage creative arts into area.
15. Link the greenway through the Main Street.
16. Ensure all educational players in the town and environs are effectively and efficiently preparing society to compete globally.
Under the heading of infrastructure, the forum called for Castlebar to be made a carbon-free town.
The submission asked: “Can the town establish its own self sufficient renewable energy supply?”
KEY PROPOSALS
1. Convert all public buildings/facilities to renewable energy.
2. Develop a carbon-free mobility flow plan for the town and its environs.
3. Electric tram system in town centre.
4. Plan for the opening of new N5 (signage, access, park and ride).
5. To the extent possible ensure facilities are weather proofed.
In respect of marketing, networking and events, the submission addressed the issue of making the town a more attractive place to come to and live in by putting forward a number of proposals.
A BETTER TOWN
1. Incentivise people/families to relocate to the area and into town centre.
2. Revitalise the Castlebar.ie website.
3. Assign a dedicated resource to market the town as a hub for artists and a centre of excellence for live performances (Theatre Royal and Linenhall).
4. Create and publish a calendar of events for each year.
5. Market Turlough museum for day trips via train from Dublin.
Under the heading of enterprise and competitiveness, the submission stated the existing planning process is too cumbersome and too long, there is no top-class office space and there are issues in respect of industrial estate and the former Volex buildings.
WAY FORWARD
1. Can Imperial Hotel be a work centre for artists/remote working.
2. Same for space at GMIT. Maker meet, Fab Lab, etcetera.
3. Need for immediate remote working spaces/hubs.
4. Look at old swimming pool.
5. Plan for Military Barracks.
6. Industrial estates require upgrading.
7. Volex building requires upgrading and a specific marketing plan.
8. Have IDA build an advance factory/office complex.
In respect of funding and investment, the forum referenced drawing down EU and national grants relating to town and rural development and partnering with Credit Union for social enterprise development.
It called for a dedicated unit for this process led by Mayo County Council and supported by people with relevant expertise from the forum.
FORUM BACKGROUND
The Castlebar Business and Community Forum is in the process of being constituted.
It is a mechanism for bringing together various business, community and sectoral groups in the town so that coordination and prioritisation of initiatives can be undertaken.
The forum mission is to harness the resources and goodwill of all business and community stakeholders towards developing and implementing a shared vision and strategic growth plan for a continually evolving town and its hinterland.
Its purpose is to provide a leadership forum which brings together the various strands of enterprise, innovation and community in the town.
The forum seeks to develop and promote enterprise enabling initiatives for Castlebar and its hinterland.
STRONG VOICE
It will be a united and strong voice for Castlebar, especially in setting the enterprise agenda with state agencies and local government.
It aims to promote, lobby and support initiatives to improve the business infrastructure, create wealth and increase jobs in the town and its environs as well as liaising with and brokering the maximum resources from relevant central government departments and agencies for the implementation of its strategic growth plan.
The signatories of the forum's submissions were John Mulroy, Castlebar Chamber of Commerce, Helen O’Hara, Love Castlebar, Ger Deere, Castlebar Tidy Towns, Maria Staunton, GMIT Innovation Centre, and John Caulfield, Atlantic Economic Corridor Business Forum.