The Town Centre Living Initiative Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report May 2020 Commissioned by the Department of Rural and Community Development PLEASE NOTE This report has been prepared by Space Engagers, a research and co-design collective that explores how towns and cities can be made more resilient and sustainable. The report records the findings of the Department of Rural and Community Development’s (DRCD) Town Centre Living Initiative (TCLI) using primary data received directly from the 6 pilot towns and participants. In the final section the authors synthesise the findings and put forward suggested actions. Please note therefore, that any views expressed in this report accurately reflect those of the participants or authors and not necessarily those of the DRCD. This report records activities and findings of the TCLI up to the end of 2019. The report was completed at the end of February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and lockdown. Authors: Dr Philip Crowe, Dr Madeleine Lyes, Ms Orla Murphy TCLI Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report, May 2020 2 Table of Contents Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................7 Project brief ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Overview of process to date ............................................................................................................................. 8 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Key messages ........................................................................................................................................ 10 6 pilot towns ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 Issues arising and suggested actions............................................................................................................. 11 Summary matrix .................................................................................................................................... 14 Six Pilot Towns: Reports ........................................................................................................................ 17 Ballinrobe, County Mayo ................................................................................................................................ 18 Banagher, County Offaly ................................................................................................................................. 24 Boyle, County Roscommon ............................................................................................................................ 29 Callan, County Kilkenny ................................................................................................................................... 34 Cappoquin, County Waterford ....................................................................................................................... 39 Castleblayney, County Monaghan ................................................................................................................. 44 Workshop Summary .............................................................................................................................. 51 Discussion.............................................................................................................................................. 57 Synthesis ............................................................................................................................................... 62 Issues arising and suggested action areas .................................................................................................... 62 Theme 1: Providing supports ......................................................................................................................... 62 Theme 2: Finance and resources ................................................................................................................... 67 Theme 3: Imagination and vision................................................................................................................... 71 Theme 4: Confidence & motivation .............................................................................................................. 75 Theme 5: Approach ......................................................................................................................................... 77 Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 81 1 Scotland’s Towns Partnership ............................................................................................................... 81 2 Notes on key terms ................................................................................................................................. 83 TCLI Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report, May 2020 3 Acronyms AIRO All Ireland Research Observatory at NUI Maynooth AFI Age Friendly Ireland AHB Approved Housing Body APRD Action Plan for Rural Development ArcGIS Geographic Information System hosted by the ESRI BAL Ballinrobe BAN Banagher BBR Bygnings- og Boligregistret (Danish Buildings Registry) BCAR Building Control Amendment Regulations BER Building Energy Rating BOY Boyle CAL Callan CAP Cappoquin CAP19 Climate Action Plan CAS Castleblayney CCN Carr, Cotter & Naessens Architects CPO Compulsory Purchase Order CSO Compulsory Sales Order CSO Central Statistics Office TCLI Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report, May 2020 4 CTCHC Collaborative Town Centre Health Check DBEI Department of Business, Employment and Innovation DCCAE Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment DCHG Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht DoHPLG Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government DRCD Department of Rural and Community Development DTTAS Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport FAC Future Analytics Consultancy GIS Geographic Information System GOAD Site classification system named after Charles Goad HSE Health Service Executive HTI Historic Towns Initiative IDA Industrial Development Agency (Ireland) LCI Living Cities Initiative LGBTQ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer LPT Local Property Tax NESC National Economic and Social Council NIAH National Inventory of Architectural Heritage NUIM National University of Ireland Maynooth (Maynooth University) TCLI Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report, May 2020 5 NVHRS National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy OWCH Older Women’s Co-Housing RRDF Rural Regeneration and Development Fund SEAI Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland SME Small or Medium Sized Enterprise SOA Self-Organising Architecture STP Scotland’s Towns Partnership TCO Town Centre Officer TCLI Town Centre Living Initiative UCD University College Dublin VAT Value Added Tax VPIM Vacant Properties Indicator Model (United States) WOR TCLI Workshop TCLI Six Pilot Towns: Synthesis Report, May 2020 6 Introduction The Town Centre Living Initiative (TCLI) is a pilot scheme managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) where up to €100k has been made available to participating towns to develop innovative proposals that encourage the reuse of vacant and underused buildings in town centres for living. The following six towns were selected to take part in the pilot scheme: • Ballinrobe, Co Mayo • Banagher, Co Offaly • Boyle, Co Roscommon • Callan, Co Kilkenny • Cappoquin, Co Waterford • Castleblayney, Co Monaghan The TCLI was announced in October 2018 by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Mr Michael Ring TD. The towns were selected to provide a geographical spread, a mix of size and character, and on the basis that the pilot scheme could build on efforts already underway to address challenges. This report documents the activities and findings of each pilot project in the six towns and a collaborative workshop involving representatives from the TCLI pilot towns and other stakeholders held in September 2019. The report also analyses and synthesizes the findings, identifying issues arising and suggestions for action areas. Project brief The scheme acknowledges and responds to the significant challenges facing towns relating to vacancy and underuse of buildings, and a common preference for living outside the town centre. Given the complexity and variety of reasons behind vacancy in Irish towns, the towns were asked to take an holistic approach that explores all aspects of living in towns including the buildings, amenities, public realm, infrastructure and services. The towns were also asked to examine and identify issues arising that contribute to vacancy and potential solutions. Towns were asked to focus on one specific area within the town centre, and on the potential for residential occupancy in particular. The TCLI complements the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, and it is hoped that projects that emerge from the pilot will form part of the wider solution for the regeneration