Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Rejuvenation Plan New Thinking Fresh Leadership Ambitious Initiatives 2 01 Our Context ............................. 2 Contents Purpose .......................................................... 6 The Rationale ............................................... 6 Leadership Statement ............................... 7 Some Key Facts & Figures ....................... 9 02 Our Vision................................ 12 03 Our Process ............................. 16 Our Balbriggan ............................................ 20 Engagement ................................................. 22 In the Press .................................................. 25 Results & Analysis ...................................... 26 04 Our Strategy ........................... 32 National Factors .......................................... 34 Local Factors ............................................... 35 Enabling Factors ......................................... 36 Implementing Values ................................. 38 Implementing Principles ........................... 39 05 Our Plan ................................... 40 20 Things in the First 12 Months ............ 42 Placemaking ................................................. 44 Town Rejuvenation Map ........................... 46 Public Realm ................................................ 48 Grow the Local Economy ......................... 50 Community Affairs & Integration ........... 52 Education, Training & Employment ....... 54 06 Making It Happen ................... 56 Leadership .................................................... 58 Funding .......................................................... 59 Managing Performance ............................. 60 Acknowledgements ................................... 62 2 3 Our Context 01 BALBRIGGAN M1 IRISH SEA FINGAL SWORDS M2 DUBLIN AIRPORT N3 M50 R122 HOWTH North Irish Sea Atlantic Ocean N4 DUBLIN CITY CENTRE N7 6 Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Plan New Thinking, Fresh Leadership, Ambitious Initiatives 7 PURPOSE THE RATIONALE Brian MacCraith, Paul Reid, President DCU, Chief Executive, Chairperson Fingal County Council To connect with residents, Balbriggan has witnessed rapid Balbriggan public services and business in a expansion of new housing areas and a Leadership Group meaningful way. To create positive retail centre outside the traditional town change and build a prosperous, core during the 2000s. It is now the vibrant, inclusive town that is youngest and one of the most ethnically united, ambitious and committed. diverse towns in Ireland (Census, 2016). In agreeing to oversee the development There is absolutely no doubt in my Amenities have not kept pace with of a socio-economic strategy for mind that in the not too distant future population growth, the local economy and Balbriggan, I first had to satisfy myself Balbriggan, will become more widely main street have struggled, perception that the approach that would be taken known again, as a fantastic place to live, ‘Balbriggan is of place is poor, and previous plans have would meet the expectations expressed work and do business. failed to be implemented. at a critical to me by the people of the town, and that the strategy would lead to real and Balbriggan's youthfulness, natural moment, get There is now a need for a sustained focus sustained transformation. amenity, heritage, diversity and location on rejuvenating the original town centre are just some of the qualities which make this right and and main street and how they relate That necessary desire and commitment it great. to the expanded town, with a view to a new vibrant was evident to me in the Chief Executive creating a more attractive, connected and management team of Fingal County In my role as Chief Executive I am proud resilient place that people want to live and spend Council, the locally elected members to have worked with the elected members time in for work, shopping or recreational and representatives from civic, business, to secure a significant ¤20 million Balbriggan can purposes. Further, there is a need to public and social life, whose sense of capital investment towards the town’s focus on community driven renewal by be achieved.’ purpose, commitment and leadership rejuvenation. When the total spend across strengthening the relationships between made my job easier and guaranteed a council departments is taken into account the public, social and commercial Neil Mclnroy, positive outcome. I expect this amount will be closer to ¤50 economy, to create a more resilient, CEO, Centre for million by 2021. Fingal County Councils sustainable Balbriggan. Local Economic The voice of the people of Balbriggan commitment will not end there; I expect Strategies, was to the forefront throughout the strong leadership and financial support Manchester, UK process. They have proved themselves will continue beyond this period again. more than equal to the task of grasping the opportunity for change, and I look The people of Balbriggan met the forward to their continued involvement challenge to ‘Get Involved’, and engaged in shaping Ireland’s youngest and most in their thousands, influencing the plans diverse large town. for the town. I expect their continued involvement working alongside Fingal The journey so far has been one of County Council and leaders from engagement, ambition, creativity, and academic, business, civic and public life intent. The next stages will reveal a town will result in many more positive changes. transformed, harnessing its economic, physical and human advantages and I look forward to watching progress enabling an excellent quality of life for all throughout the lifetime of this plan, 2025 of its people. and beyond. I remain committed to overseeing the implementation of the plan in what will be an exciting and uplifting time for Balbriggan and its citizens. 8 Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Plan New Thinking, Fresh Leadership, Ambitious Initiatives 9 ‘It was really cool that the public could Some Key have their say about what was going to Facts & Figures happen in Balbriggan.’ Eve Wall BALBRIGGAN HAS BEEN ONE OF IRELAND’S FASTEST 21,722 24,611 GROWING TOWNS TOWN SETTLEMENT BALBRIGGAN RURAL POPULATION & URBAN ELECTORAL This once homogeneous and close (CENSUS 2016) DISTRICTS knit Irish Town of approximately (CENSUS 2016) 8,500 inhabitants (Census, 1996) That’s an increase of has grown rapidly in the intervening In the same period years to a present day town 194% since 1991 settlement population of 21,722 (1991-2016): (Census, 2016) or 24,611 if the full electoral districts of Urban and Ireland’s population Rural are considered. grew by 35% Fingal’s grew by 94% BALBRIGGAN IS THE YOUNGEST LARGE TOWN IN IRELAND 30.8 30.5% OF THE POPULATION YEARS ARE BETWEEN 0-14 YEARS AVERAGE AGE OF RESIDENT IN BALBRIGGAN By comparison the average age is: 75% 37 OF BALBRIGGAN’S YEARS NATIONALLY POPULATION IS 44 YEARS OF AGE 34 OR YOUNGER – YEARS IN FINGAL NATIONALLY THIS FIGURE IS 63% A detailed Socio-economic profile, including small area analysis, is available at www.balbriggan.ie 10 Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Plan New Thinking, Fresh Leadership, Ambitious Initiatives 11 ‘Balbriggan is our home. When we go to China we go on holiday and then we come back home.’ BALBRIGGAN IS ONE OF THE MOST Jiaying Wang and Jade Wang CULTURALLY 28% DIVERSE TOWNS IN IRELAND OF BALBRIGGAN'S POPULATION WAS BORN OUTSIDE OF IRELAND That’s significantly higher than the national figure of 13% BALBRIGGAN'S LOCAL ECONOMY IS RELATIVELY 0.411:1 WEAK COMPARED JOBS : RESIDENT TO OTHER FAST WORKER RATIO GROWING TOWNS Settlement Name Population 2016 Resident Workers Total Jobs Jobs: Resident Workers Balbriggan 21,722 8,362 3,436 0.411 Navan 30,173 12,190 8,970 0.736 Portlaoise 22,050 8,438 8,410 0.997 Swords 39,248 19,531 15,338 0.785 Source: Project Ireland 2040, National Planning Framework 12 13 Our Vision Re-imagining Quay Street & Bracken River green corridor - impression indicative only. 02 14 Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Plan New Thinking, Fresh Leadership, Ambitious Initiatives 15 Building on its rich history and its diverse and growing talent base, Balbriggan will be an ambitious, inclusive and prosperous community, harnessing its economic and physical advantages and enabling an excellent quality of life for all its people. 16 17 Our Process Photograph by Michael Feeney 03 18 Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Plan New Thinking, Fresh Leadership, Ambitious Initiatives 19 Our April-June 2018 July-Sept 2018 Oct-Dec 2018 Jan-Mar 2019 April 2019 Leadership Group Chaired by Professor Process Brian MacCraith, President of Dublin City University Ambitious timelines Four Pillar Groups from the outset, ensured • Public Realm & Placemaking a strong momentum. • Local Economy & Enterprise • Employment, Education & Training The leadership group met • Community Affairs monthly from May–Oct 2018 & Integration and bi-monthly thereafter. The four pillar groups, led by expert Public Consultation chairs, brought together over 65 • Public viewing of plans participants from business, public in Library and pop-up bodies and community groups locations during the summer. The groups • Survey completed by examined the town's strengths and residents • World Café Events weaknesses, where it was in the present, it's past, it's current position and the potential challenges and Finalisation of Strategic Plan opportunities ahead. The workshops generated over 60 hours of insights, contributions were invited from the UK's Centre for Local Economic Strategies, Ireland's