County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied)

1. Page 41

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 38 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages Chapter 5 – Town and Villages 5.1 Introduction Chapter 3: ‘Core Strategy’ identifies the importance and key role of Donegal’s rural communities in contributing to positive growth and economic development throughout the County. County Donegal’s rural communities are an asset to be valued and nurtured. The diversity in the opportunities that our rural communities give rise to is significant and has the potential to differentiate the County from other places, particularly in terms of the quality of life offering that is available. The County’s towns and villages are at the centre of rural communities because they are important locations for service delivery, gathering, expression of identity, rural enterprise and social and community supports. This Plan recognises the importance of rural towns and villages in supporting the wider rural community and therefore seeks to enable their revitalisation and regeneration as a key strategic intervention. To this end, the Core Strategy targets some 50% of the projected population growth towards the smaller settlements of the County. This approach is consistent with national policy as contained in the NPF and ‘Our Rural Futures, 2021-2025’ (Chapter 5: Revitalising Rural Towns and Villages’) and regional policy as contained in the RSES (RPO 3.4). RPO 3.13 supports the role of smaller and medium-sized towns as set out below and requires the identification of in the Development Plan of such settlements in the Core Strategy. The Core Strategy identifies such settlements in the ‘County Growth Drivers’ and ‘Service Towns’ layers of the settlement hierarchy. For clarification, the following settlements also merit recognition in the context of RPO 3.13:

2. Page 42

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 39 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages Table 5.1: Settlements Meriting Recognition in Context of RPO 3.13 Ailt an Chorráin (Burtonport) Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way Marine Identified as having a particular potential for town enhancement scheme to strengthen communities. An Charraig (Carrick) Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way (including proximity to Sliabh Liag Signature Point). An Fál Carrach (Falcarragh) Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way. Irish language. Identified as a having particular potential for appropriate town enhancement scheme to strengthen communities. Ardara Tourism (and linked to Glenties) and Wild Atlantic Way. Heritage town with significant built heritage resources. Ballyliffin Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way. Identified as having particular potential for appropriate town enhancement scheme to strengthen communities. Bridgend Proximity to Northern Ireland border and associated cross border context. Dunfanaghy Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way. Glenties Tourism (and linked to Ardara). Heritage, Recreation and Culture. Greencastle Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way. Marine. Malin Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way (including proximity to Malin Head Signature Point). Moville Tourism and Wild Atlantic Way. Heritage town with significant built heritage resources. Marine (linked with Greencastle) Gleann Cholm Cille (Glencolmcille) Wild Atlantic Way Key town in relation to the Irish Language

3. Page 43

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 40 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages Each of the towns identified will present with differing strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats and in many cases, it is recognised that physical infrastructure in terms of water services will represent a challenge to be addressed. The achievement of tangible outcomes in respect of the towns identified will require the buy-in of, and close working relationships between, a range of public, private and community sector organisations on a settlement-by-settlement basis. Notwithstanding, Donegal County Council is committed to these more rural parts of the County and therefore a programme to examine opportunities for appropriate strategic interventions in these areas will be initiated in consultation with all relevant stakeholders including local communities, the private sector and other public sector agencies. 5.2 Prioritisation of Town and Village Cores As well as broad national and regional policy support for towns and villages generally, national policy also places particular focus and priority on the centres (or cores) of these towns and villages. This approach is encapsulated in the NPF and ‘ Town Centre First – A Policy Approach for Irish Towns’ (DHLGH and DRCD, February 2022) and prioritises the regeneration of the centres of town and villages. 5.2.1 Regeneration Projects Reflecting the national policy direction, the Council has set up Regeneration and Implementation units respectively in order to drive this programme. Significant progress has already been made in delivering meaningful and transformative projects in the towns and villages of the County.

4. Page 44

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 41 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages In particular, Donegal County Council has been successful in securing significant funding under the Government’s ‘Rural Regeneration and Development Fund’ for a total of 8 different regeneration projects as set out in the table below and the diagrams at the end of this Chapter. The Council have during 2023 appointed a Town Regeneration Officer and a Vacant Homes Officer as further enhancements of its regeneration focus. Table 5.2: List of Projects Funded Under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund Project Name Partners Category Value Status Killybegs 2040 DAFM, Killybegs Tourist Information Centre Category 1 (Capital) €6.4m Construction Harbour to Island Regeneration (Burtonport & Aranmore) Comharchumann Oileán Árainn Mhór Category 1 (Capital) €4.1m Construction Burtonport Harbour Redevelopment (Phase 2) Donegal 2040 DAC, Community, Piers & Harbours Section, DCC Category 1 (Capital) €2.3m Detailed Design Tús Nua Regeneration Project (Carndonagh) Spraoi agus Spórt Category 1 (capital) €9.5m Detailed Design The S.E.E.D Project (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) B.A.S.I.C.C Category 1 (Capital) €9.7m Detailed Design Future Ballyshannon Erne Enterprise Development Co. Ltd & Ballyshannon Regeneration Group Category 2 (Project Development Work) €250k Acquisition & Planning Ramelton Re- Imagined Ramelton Regeneration Group & Georgian Society Category 2 (Project Development work) €250k €7.9m Complete Construction Tender Stage

5. Page 45

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 42 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages Category 1 (Capital) Repowering Buncrana Buncrana Tidy Towns, Derry City & Strabane District Council, RNLI Category 2 (Project Development Work) €1.46m Acquisition & Tender Stage (Design Services)*These projects are all funded by the Departm ent of Rural and Com m unity Developm ent under the Rural R egeneration and Developm ent Fund (RRDF). Donegal County Council has also been regularly successful in securing funding under the Government’s ‘ Town and Village Renewal Scheme’. The latest projects to successfully secure funding were announced in December, 2022: Carndonagh €121,230: An accessible sheltered space for all the community including families with children of all ages to meet and for older and less mobile members of the community to socialise; sited in Barrack Hill Town Park. Convoy €435,204: The development of the ‘Railway Park’ along the former and now disused railway line in Convoy for a wholly accessible inclusive green space and recreational amenity in the centre of the village. Dungloe €121,905: An upgrade and enhancement of the town centre improving biodiversity, accessibility, walkability, adding colour and vibrancy thereby improving visual amenity and associated public realm. Manorcunningham €144,900: The upgrade and enhancement of the village centre increasing biodiversity, improving accessibility, adding colour and vibrancy thereby enhancing visual amenity and associated public realm. Lifford €100,000: Funding under the Streetscape Enhancement Measure in Lifford Ballybofey Stranorlar – Drumboe woods €49,995: To procure Landscape Architect led integrated design team to develop concept designs (as outlined in feasibility study) and secure requisite and statutory approvals for potential nature based play space and multi-functional outdoor space. The Town Centre First initiative has provided funding for the commencement of an important regeneration project in Milford:

6. Page 46

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 43 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages Seven other towns/rural areas of smaller scale have also been identified for and with a focus on regeneration and renewal, primarily through enhancement schemes that will strengthen communities: Churchill, Convoy, Dunkineely, Kilmacrennan, Mountcharles, Newtowncunningham, and St. Johnston. The figures below identify the broad areas of focus of the key regeneration projects currently being progressed by Donegal County Council in conjunction with partners. The boundaries are not definitive. They are intended to illustrate the key areas of focus but it should be noted that the projects may extend beyond the identified areas. Building on the success of its Urban and Rural Regeneration work programme to date, the Council’s Regeneration & Development Team together with the Town Regeneration Officer and Vacant Homes Officer will develop a co-ordinated Countywide Strategy for the regeneration and renewal of the County’s Towns & Villages which will: (i) Set out a new work programme for the Team within the Plan period with the overall aim of attracting investment from the range of funding programmes available, together with effective use of statutory measures to: develop high quality Urban and Rural settlements which contribute to regeneration and renewal, compact growth, provision of viable housing options, opportunities for economic development, address vacancy and dereliction; and which empowers local communities as key partners and stakeholders in the process through the consultation, delivery and implementation stages. (ii) Align with the Strategic Vision, Ambition and Core Strategy of this Plan and set out a phased approach to implementation following the Settlement Hierarchy of Growth Centre, Growth Divers, Service Towns and Rural Settlements set out in Chapter 3. (iii) Integrate existing Regeneration Strategies, Action Plans and Town Centre First Plans into the wider Strategy and work programme. (iv) Continue to develop agreed, endorsed and priority projects within the work programme towards eligibility for project development and capital works funding under future calls of the Urban and Rural Regeneration and Development Funds. (v) Work to establish Town Teams, develop Town Centre First Plans and implement Town Centre First projects under the Town Centre First Policy Approach for Irish Towns and supporting funding programmes. (vi) Set realistic targets and identify specific implementation actions for the reduction of vacancy and dereliction within core town centre environments, including (a) progressing the abovementioned measures (i) – (v); and (b) proactively engaging with property and home owners on the range of supports available together with effective use of statutory measures under the Croi Conaithe Towns Initiative, CPO Activation Fund and Derelict Sites Act, 1990 etc. to bring properties back into use. (vii) Include a programme for performance monitoring and evaluation.

7. Page 47

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 44 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages

8. Page 48

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 45 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages

9. Page 49

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 46 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages

10. Page 50

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    County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 47 Chapter 5 Towns and Villages

Source Donegal County Council: County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied) (2024–2030) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.