Milford is to benefit from a €100,000 fund to tackle dereliction and revitalise the town centre, it has been announced.
The first ever Town Centre First Plans were announced by the Department of Rural and Community Development today.
The funding will be used by Donegal County Council to develop a unique master plan for Milford, working closely with local community groups, retailers and the other members of the town teams.
Joe McHugh TD for Donegal, “I am delighted to see Milford has been chosen in Donegal as part of the first ever Town Centre First Plans, which will be key to tackling dereliction and revitalising town centres.
“As part of this initiative, Donegal County Council will be provided with €100,000 to support the development of its own unique plan to ensure right and proper attention for the Historical market town of Milford, where plenty preparatory is already going on with Declan Meehan, IRD Milford and others.
“Comhghairdeas agus ádh mór le na pleans amach anseo.”
Commenting on the announcement, Minister Charlie McConalogue said “This announcement for Milford today is tremendous news for the local economy and for all who live in and work in Milford. This initiative will help County Councils throughout the country work with selected towns to develop master plans for their town’s future. Congratulations to all involved and I look forward to seeing the outcome of the plan.”
The considerable investment in Milford will be very welcome among residents who have long pointed to the need for regeneration in the town over the past decade or more.
Declan Meehan, manager of Milford & District Resource Centre said: “We are very happy to have worked successfully with Donegal County Council to ensure that Milford was selected for this investment. The plan will ensure Milford is ready for additional funding in the coming years and will go some way to solving issues such as dereliction, vacancy and lack of public and green spaces in the town. We hope that in the long run this plan will provide a blueprint for making Milford a better place to work and live in.”
“Milford is like many other towns in the county in that it is faced with challenges around dereliction and a lack of public amenities resulting from lack of investment over the years” Meehan said. “This funding will start to put Milford back on track as the first step of a major regeneration of the town, which is much needed and long overdue.”
This latest funding for the €100,000 master plan for Milford, follows on from €62,000 awarded to the town by the Council for the Streetscape Enhancement programme earlier this year.
Meehan said: “We are committed to improving the town of Milford and working on rural regeneration across the Milford district and we are very lucky to have such an engaging and responsive team in the Community Development Office in Donegal County Council.”
The Town Centre First Plans will be guided by a strong empirical base and developed collaboratively with local Town Teams involving community, business, as well as public private stakeholders.
It is envisaged that the Plans will cover the importance of “place-making”, town centre living, the social and economic purpose of the town, and respond to emerging opportunities such as those linked to remote working, climate action and digitalisation.
The focus will be on the town centre and immediate surrounds. Each Plan will set out specific actions and interventions and help unlock national funding streams such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town & Village Renewal Scheme to resource delivery of these interventions.
The Plans will also be central to addressing vacancy and dereliction in the selected locations.