Vol. 528 No. 1
23 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason a property in County Mayo (details supplied) has been excluded from the town renewal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25497/00]
The primary aim of the town renewal scheme is to restore, consolidate and improve the existing built fabric of towns. The guidelines which issued to county councils to assist in the preparation to town renewal plans stated that:
plans should not normally provide for the demolition of existing buildings that are structurally sound. By the nature of the scheme, demolition and rebuilding will not qualify for incentives where refurbishment of existing structures would have been possible.
Given that the town renewal plan submitted by Sligo County Council for Bellaghy-Charlestown sought new build incentives only for this site and the proposed development would have led to the demolition of existing buildings, no incentives were awarded. The expert panel considered that refurbishment would be more appropriate for this site. The county council did not apply for this in the town renewal plan submitted.
Under the terms of the town renewal scheme, as provided for in the guidelines and the Town Renewal Act, 2000, the expert panel were confined to considering recommendations on incentives made by the county council only. Therefore, it was not open to the panel to award refurbishment incentives in this case as these had not been sought by the council.
The panel exercised an independent role in the assessment of the plans submitted, their recommendations were accepted in full and this was the basis on which designations under the scheme were announced.
