Major investment secured to copperfasten Mayo town's future
The community of Balla is to receive major funding under the EU Horizon initiative, it has been confirmed.
It follows a successful joint application by Balla Community Resources Development (CRD) and Castlebar Municipal District.
The initiative aims to develop digital solutions to foster participative design, planning and management of buildings, neighbourhoods and urban districts.
Balla is the only town in Ireland to be approved for funding under the programme.
Welcoming the news, Councillor Donna Sheridan, cathaoirleach, Castlebar Municipal District, stated: "This is a wonderful boost for Balla and provides an opportunity for the town to explore new ways of doing things and sharing knowledge with other jurisdictions.
"The successful application is testament to the work of everybody involved with Balla CRD and the team in the Castlebar Municipal District office.
"This is a three and a half year project that aims to promote sustainable, aesthetic and accessible urban spaces with better living conditions for all.
"The main objective of the pilot in Balla is the renovation of public spaces and infrastructure, reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, promote sustainable mobility and accessibility through enhanced pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, circularity and accessibility, while activating underutilised spaces for inclusive social and economic activities."
The proposals include:
Renovation of vacant buildings: Renovation scenarios of unused buildings for mixed use purposes by engaging the community in the design process through workshops and digital simulations. Incorporate participatory planning tools to ensure the renovations meet sustainability standards, address local needs, and maintain historical relevance while encouraging community driven innovation.
Reactivation of Market Square as a vibrant community hub: Transform Market Square into a pedestrian-friendly hub for social and economic activities, integrating digital tools to involve citizens in the co-design process.
Use participatory platforms and visualisation tools to align community needs with the square’s redesign, ensuring accessibility, sustainability and inclusivity.
Active mobility network development: Improve walking and cycling connections by leveraging digital planning tools to co-create scenarios of mobility networks with residents.
Use AR/VR visualisation to engage the community in route design, focusing on accessibility, safety, and integration with the town centre, ensuring that the network reflects the community's mobility priorities and promotes active transport.
Reactivation of Balla's historic assets: Digitally document and renovate key landmarks by involving the community in heritage preservation through participatory mapping and co-design platforms.
Use digital tools to simulate energy-efficient upgrades while preserving architectural integrity, ensuring that the revitalisation aligns with the town’s cultural identity and community values.
Pilot for rural town regeneration under the Town Centre First Policy: Demonstrate replicable model for rural town revitalisation through the Town Centre First initiative.
Balla will showcase sustainable solutions for public space upgrades, active mobility, and energy-efficient infrastructure, serving as a blueprint for other small towns in Ireland.
Councillor Sheridan said this is an extremely exciting time for Balla, a community destined to go from strength to strength.
In further good news for Balla, funding of €137,148 has been allocated by the Department of Rural and Community Development for the replacement of the roof of Balla Community Centre.
Draft construction tender documents have been reviewed by Castlebar Municipal District and amended documents will be issued in the next two weeks.
Councillor Sheridan said she hopes works will be completed by October.