Urban Development

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022

Thursday, 8 September 2022

Questions (622)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

622. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on targeted funding via the urban regeneration and development fund to support the town centre first approach, as part of the wider objectives for the regeneration of cities, towns and rural areas under Housing for All. [43337/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development and launched earlier this year, the Town Centre First policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community. The policy sets out 33 actions which will provide a co-ordinated framework across established national policy objectives (in particular the National Planning Framework, Housing for All and Our Rural Future), to address the decline in the health of our towns.

A flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is currently providing funding to projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential development to be delivered within the existing built footprints of both our cities and large towns. In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, the URDF is making a significant contribution to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns with a view to ensuring that more parts of our urban areas become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit. To this end, the URDF has already allocated almost €1.7 billion in funding to regeneration projects under two separate calls for proposals since its inception in 2018.

A third call for proposals, to include a focus on projects that will support the delivery of the Town Centre First Policy, is currently under development and will be issued later in 2022.