2018 Application Form 1 | P a g e Dept. Use Only Application Reference No APPLICATION FORM Tipperary County Council Lead Eligible Applicant: River Ara (Tipperary Town) Walking Project Name: Trail Please indicate under which Measure funding is being applied for: Measure Details Place an X in the appropriate box 1. Small Scale Maintenance/Promotion and Marketing 2. Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail X Development 3. Large Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategy Trail Development Total cost of project: €250,000 Amount of Funding sought in this application: €200,000 Lead applicant primary contact: Michael Moroney Contact email address: [email protected] Postal Address: Community & Economic Development, Ballingarrane House, Cahir Road, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary 0761 06 6218 Office phone number: Mobile phone number: 087 7773770 2 | P a g e Local Organisation Details, if applicable: Please include contact name and details, including email and mobile contact number. Aidan Finn, Senior Executive Engineer/Cashel-Tipperary District Engineer, [email protected], 087-2886917 1. Lead Applicant FINANCIAL DETAILS: Lead Applicant VAT No.: 3259712MH Tax Registration Number: 3259712MH Tax Clearance Access Number: 796135 CHY Number (if applicable): N/A 2. Detailed Costings for Proposed Project Please provide a detailed breakdown of all elements of the proposed works including any administration/other fees/costs: (itemise various elements) € Fencing €80,000 Earthworks €50,000 Footways €100,000 Landscaping €20,000 TOTAL COST €250,000 Funding amount sought: (Max of 80% of Total €200,000 cost up to the Measure limit) Match Funding: (at least 20% of Total €50,000 Cost/Max grant) of which – up to 15% may be “in-kind”: €0 With minimum Cash €50,000 contribution of 5% Please outline the Nature and source of “in-kind” contributions: 3. Has funding for this project been sought from other sources? Yes No (If "YES" yes please specify from what source and the up to date position with those applications) Funding of €7,000 was awarded from South Tipperary Development Company to Tipperary Chamber of Commerce under the terms of the Rural Development Programme for the design of the walking route; 3 | P a g e this work is in progress. 4. Was funding provided for this project, or a different phase of this project under the Outdoor Recreation Scheme 2016 and/or 2017? Yes No (If "YES" please provide information on amount of funding provided, amount expended and status of project e.g. completion date and confirmation that final funding has been drawn down.) 5. Please list all project stakeholders/community partners involved in this project i.e. LDC, Local Authority, Community group, etc. and outline their ongoing involvement in the project. The Stakeholders involved in this project are Cashel-Tipperary Municipal District Office of Tipperary County Council, Abbey CBS School (landowner), Tipperary Chamber of Commerce (TIRD), Birdwatch Ireland, Local Angling Club and Tipperary Tidy Towns. A Working Group has been established to progress this project with members from Council, Local Authority Water and Communities Office, Birdwatch Ireland and Tipperary Tidy Towns Committee. Tipperary County Council will be responsible for maintaining the riverside walkway. 6. Outline and attach evidence of the project’s compliance with the scheme, relevance to plans – County Development Plan, LECP, NPF, etc. Compliance with the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme This project complies with the definition of "Countryside Recreation" which highlights recreational and holiday pursuits based on use of resources of the countryside which contribute to healthy active lifestyles. The project is eligible under Measure 2 – development of new walkways infrastructure. The proposed project is consistent with and supports a number of strategies and plans. Tipperary County Council Corporate Plan 2015-2019 The Tipperary County Council Corporate Plan 2015-2019 established a vision for the County and sets out key priorities over the lifetime of the Plan, is strong in promotion and enhancement of the Council's natural environment. It also refers to "development of a green infrastructure which provides an attractive place to live in, work and spend leisure time, providing benefits for health and opportunities for formal and informal recreation." Tipperary Town & Environs Development Plan 2013-2019 A policy objective of the Plan is Policy Architectural Heritage No 5 River Ara Walk: “It is the policy of the Council to engage with the relevant stakeholders in order to complete the River Ara Walk.” The River Ara is included as an Area for Action in the River Basin Management Plan 2018 -2021 Get Ireland Walking Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2020 Prepared by Sport Ireland, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Mountaineering Ireland, this plan provides a blueprint for the promotion of walking in Ireland. 4 | P a g e Tipperary Strategic Tourism Marketing, Experience & Destination Development Plan 2016- 2021 Prepared by Tipperary County Council & Tipperary Tourism Company, Tipperary Town is situated in and a key component in the Munster Vales area, a new primary tourism destination straddling the Tipperary, Limerick & Cork borders. Under the “Destination Development” pillar, the Plan prioritises the enhancement of key towns with particular attention to presentation and orientation; this project will be key improvement in Tipperary Town. Green & Blue Infrastructure Masterplan Roadmap for Tipperary Waterways As part of its involvement in the EU INTERREG EUROPE part-funded SWARE (Sustainable heritage management of WAterway REgions) project, in 2017 Tipperary County Council developed a Green & Blue Infrastructure Masterplan Roadmap for Tipperary Waterways. This study provided the opportunity for green and blue infrastructure to be strategically positioned and managed within an integrated approach to planning and links land-use, landscape, services, ecology, heritage, tourism, etc. The Roadmap specifically identifies this project (no. 66) stating, “Support the River Ara Project which proposes to connect existing walking routes with new routes creating a valuable amenity for the community visitors alike.” Tipperary Sports Partnership Strategic Plan 2018 There are five strategic objectives outlined in the Tipperary Sports Partnership Strategic Plan 2018. This project is aligned with: o Strategic Objective No. 2: Sustainable Infrastructure-Assist in the greater use of the existing natural and built infrastructure where it addresses a clear need and is multi use and accessible. A Strategy for a Healthy Tipperary 2018-2020 This recently adopted Strategy has a number of strategic priorities and actions which this project supports, including: o Priority 1: Physical Activity and Amenities – encourage the people of Tipperary to become more physically active and ensure that the amenities are in place that will support this to happen; o Action 4.1: Rejuvenation of towns and village centres. County Tipperary Local Economic and Community Plan 2015-2020 The key objective of the Local Economic and Community Plan 2015 - 2020 (LECP) is to promote a more integrated and targeted approach to addressing social and community issues. The proposed project seeks to deliver on a number of high level priorities and strategic actions of the LECP including, Action E1.6b "Identification, promotion and support of specific themes of tourism development which build in Tipperary’s inherent strengths.......including outdoor activities around the Munster Vales.....”. National Development Plan Project 2040 There are 10 Strategic Outcomes identified in the National Development Plan Project 2040. This project is aligned with Strategic Outcome No. 3 - "Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities" and Strategic Outcome No. 7 – “Enhanced Amenity & Heritage”. A specific priority listed under Strategic Outcome No. 3 is "to enhance and improve Ireland's outdoor recreation infrastructure and natural heritage". 5 | P a g e 7. Synopsis of Project: (maximum of 500 words). A detailed project proposal may be appended to this application (maximum 5 Pages, up to 10 pages for projects in excess of €100k) This project proposes to link Abbey Street to Glenview Square via a river walk along the banks of the River Ara. Tipperary in Irish is “Tiobraid Árann” meaning “The Well of Ara”, a reference to the river that flows through the town and on which the town was built. The river is very much to the centre of the town but it is also a much under-utilised resource for the town, its people and visitors. River Ara View from Link Road/Abbey Street The proposal aims to interlink the amenities of the town centre with the natural beauty of the River Ara as it meanders away from town in a southerly direction towards the Bansha Woods. The walking route will provide a much need social amenity to the town of Tipperary for its residents, locals from the environs and visitors to the town linking in with existing walking routes in the town. This proposal will provide two loop walks both incorporating the Ara walk. The proposed river walk, which is 800 metres approximately, is shown in red on the aerial photograph below, this will link in with existing walking routes in town, on the Bansha Road (yellow loop) and also on the Station Road (blue loop). Aerial Photograph of the Area 6 | P a g e This project aims to provide Walkway along the river bank; Seating areas; Natural playground; River Window; Area for Educational Sampling/Outdoor