Have your say on shaping the future of Roscrea

Roscrea is the only town in Tipperary to benefit from new government funding to create a community inspired Masterplan to draft a blueprint for how the town will evolve.

Roscrea is home to a wide variety of businesses, sporting and recreation organisations and people of all demographics and the local authority want input from everybody to help shape the town's future and make it a better place to work, call home and visit.

Boasting an embarrassment of riches in terms of historical sites and with great potential to create a booming tourism and nighttime economy, the plan will build upon the progress of the redevelopment of the business heart of Roscrea at Market Square.

Roscrea Enhancement Committee has launched an online survey and is calling on

members of the public to please support the initiative, by completing the survey online at http://consultations. tipperarycoco.ie/consultations

Chairman of the Enhancement Committee, Brian King, told the Tribune the survey is very much focused on gathering information that will be used to inform an all-new Town Centre First Masterplan for Roscrea, which is already in the early stages of development with tenders for consultants at an advanced stage.

The Enhancement Committee will grow its ranks by encouraging more people from local community groups to become active members. The survey and Masterplan are fully supported by Tipperary County Council. 

Tipperary County Council was awarded €100,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Affairs under its 'Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025'. 

The local authority will seek support from multiple national funding streams to help deliver on the key projects and objectives that will be identified during the public consultation phase. These funding streams include and are not limited to the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, (RRDF) and the Town and Village Renewal Schemes.

The survey is an important feature of the formation of a Town Centre First Masterplan and will help to identify challenges and opportunities for the town as well as provide a basis for engaging with stakeholders, gathering opinions, and ensuring that a committee is in place to drive the Masterplan.

Reflecting on the existing Enhancement Plan, Brian king noted that despite all the funding challenges over the past decade the existing Enhancement Committee is very proud of the various projects they were involved with such as Market Square, signage strategy, painting schemes, redeveloping Madden's Lane, Roscrea Tourist Trail, Enhancement Committee Annual Awards and events such as the BEO which served as a catalyst for subsequent events outside the realm of the Enhancement Committee. 

He said the committee worked hard on "additional projects which have not borne fruit yet but may in time" - including pushing on with development and landscaping plans for streets around the town with a particular emphasis on lighting and underground wiring in addition to developing several walking trails which would link back to the town centre.

Brian said a revitalised Enhancement Committee with new members will have great support from people such as Sharon Scully (District Administrator, Tipperary County Council) and Marion Carey (District Planner Tipperary County Council).

The new committee will have access to more funding streams, which the Committee hope will encourage more community groups to get involved and support the new Masterplan, which Brian said when completed will add significantly to any future strategy aimed at enhancing the town of Roscrea and encouraging people to live, work, visit and enjoy all that the town and its environs have to offer.

"There is plenty of optimism in Roscrea at the moment. The Masterplan has the potential to plot a very exciting future for the people of Roscrea and its neighbouring parishes and villages. Please support those trying to put the plan in place by taking some personal time to complete the survey. All support will be much appreciated", Brian said.