Funding approved for 'major' Kilcullen design project
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| Cathal O'Meara Landscape Architects. |
Funding for the €21,881 Kilcullen Design Statement and Health Check has been approved by the Kildare Leader Partnership, allowing the work to begin shortly, writes Brian Byrne.
The news was welcomed with delight last evening by Kilcullen Community Action chair Ann Cashman, who expressed her thanks to the KCA sub-committee that drafted the Leader submission, led by Orla O'Neill. "This is a major achievement for Kilcullen, it's really big for the town," Ann told the Diary.
Cathal O'Meara Landscape Architects, based in Cork, have been selected to carry out the town design plan.
County Kildare Leader is providing 90pc of the funds required for the project, and the balance was committed recently by Cllr Rob Power from his discretionary budget, with support from Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer.
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| Clockwise from top left: Ann Cashman, Orla O'Neill, Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer and Cllr Rob Power. |
The Design Statement will complement and help inform the Local Area Plan and will be used by the local community, the local authority and other stakeholders to guide in-fill or new local development.
The project will be developed using the Heritage Council’s Community-led Village Design Statement Toolkit. The audit section of the process will examine the social, environmental and physical situation in Kilcullen. The vitality and viability of the town centre will also be assessed.
The Statement will also incorporate an agreed action plan setting out specific and phased projects that should be delivered by the local community and its partners.
Advice will be given to 'decision-makers, developers and their agents', and it is hoped that the Design Statement will act as a 'focus' for the community 'to participate and collaborate effectively in the local planning process'.
