Public realm works at Armagh Courthouse included in new regeneration plan

An update on a new urban regeneration plan for the borough – which will include public realm works outside Armagh Courthouse – is to be given to council tonight (Tuesday).

Urban regeneration powers should have transferred from central to local government but this has not yet happened.

As a result, the Department of Social Development still holds the authority, and it has been working closely with council to agree an interim plan for 2016/17.

The DSD has already earmarked funding of up to £100,000 for revitalisation projects in each of the main urban centres in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area, and this is still being explored.

But, aside from that, a specific interim plan has already been drawn up and an update will be presented to tonight’s meeting of the council’s economic development and regeneration committee.

It includes public realm works – similar to those which have been introduced across the remainder of Armagh city centre in recent years – outside the Courthouse.

It would cover junction improvement works and the scheme, councillors have been told, should “enhance pedestrian safety and improve traffic flow” at that end of the Mall.

In addition, the plan includes a scheme to “improve linkages and connectivity” in Portadown and “improve the physical appearance of key gateways” in the town centre.

A similar plan is in place for Banbridge to “address the poor environmental quality of some of the smaller streets” in the town.

In Dromore, it is intended to extend the public realm scheme throughout the outer area of Market Square and on to Bridge Street.