North Mayo councillor calls for scheme to improve vacant buildings in Ballina
Fine Gael councillor Marie Therese Duffy proposed that Mayo County Council establish a a streetscape enhancement scheme for Ballina
A BALLINA councillor has asked Mayo County Council to establish a streetscape enhancement scheme to improve the appearance of vacant and derelict buildings in the north Mayo capital.
Fine Gael councillor Marie Therese Duffy raised the proposal at the monthly meeting of the Ballina Municipal District where she forwarded a notice of motion calling on the local authority to implement a scheme to repair and repair prominent vacant buildings in Ballina.
“The idea would be to introduce a scheme involving collaboration between local community stakeholders, local property owners, and the council and focus on repairing exterior surfaces, repainting exteriors, and improving the overall presentation of vacant and derelict buildings,” she said
The Ballina-based councillor said there were a number of highly visible buildings on the approach roads into Ballina and its town centre which she felt needed to be repainted to improve the overall appearance of the town.
In a response to her notice of motion, Emmet O'Donnell, the head architect for the Ballina Municipal District said that a Streetscape Enhancement Programme was developed for Ballina Town in 2021.
He added that Ballina Municipal District will work in partnership with the Ballina Tidy Towns Committee to prepare a funding application under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2026 and if successful, the funding will facilitate the implementation of the Streetscape Enhancement Programme for Ballina Town.
Cllr Duffy welcomed the response saying that the scheme will be unique and a good project the municipal district should explore.
“I know a lot of work would be needed to plan this to make sure that everyone's involved and consulted on it within the community. I know from the streetscape announcement scheme that was previously developed saw success so that's something I would that I'm proposing, and that I would welcome support on that, please,” she said.
Her proposal was supported by Cllr John O'Hara who told the meeting that the scheme would improve the town if it was implemented.
Head of the municipal district, Anna Connor said that if they were not successful with the Town and Village Renewal Scheme application, councillors should consider putting money aside in their budget so they could implement it.