Jim O'Keeffe
Question:110 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the situation regarding the new town renewal scheme; and when decisions will be finalised in this regard. [18768/99]
Written Answers - Urban Renewal Schemes.
In July of this year I published the guidelines for the town renewal scheme and they have issued to all relevant county councils. The guidelines set out the aims of the scheme, the criteria to be used in selecting towns, the content of town renewal plans, the choice of area to be covered by the plan, selection of buildings, sites and areas for tax designation and the format of the plan themselves. The county councils must now select towns within their area for which they will draw up town renewal plans. The date for the submission of such plans has now been extended to the 31 December 1999 from the original date of the 31 October
The scheme is confined to towns with a population of between 500 and 6,000 and will run for three years from early next year in those towns selected for the purposes for the first phase of the scheme and for which town renewal plans are approved following review by an expert advisory panel. I hope to be in a position to announce the approved towns in early April.