A borough-wide shopfront scheme to help businesses boost the appearance of their premises is being looked at by ABC Council officials.
And a smaller paint scheme – which could benefit traders in rural towns and villages – is also on the cards.
Indeed, a paper on potential future plans is due to come before councillors next month.
Confirmation came in response to a question from Independent Unionist Councillor, Alderman Paul Berry.
Referencing the need to boost smaller and more rural settlements, he highlighted environmental improvements which had recently been confirmed for Markethill, Gilford and Rathfriland over the course of the next year.
But Alderman Berry was of the belief that shopfront schemes should also be “high up on the agenda”.
He asked officials at the economic development committee’s March sitting: “When one thinks of Markethill, Rathfriland and Gilford, with that new Covid settlement grant that’s coming out…It’s already been launched in Rathfriland. Is that being considered for Rathfriland, Gilford and Markethill? Because I think it would be something very beneficial when a scheme is already coming, that whilst it’s the footpaths and the aesthetics around the smaller towns, it would be good to provide a grant as well at the same time for the businesses to avail of, but also stretching out to Tandragee and other areas.”
Elaine Cullen, infrastructure and economic development manager, confirmed they were already well ahead of the game.
“In terms of the shopfront scheme, we are looking at future initiatives,” she told Alderman Berry. “We’ve actually prepared a paper for next month’s committee for a paint scheme initially, and then, with a view to demonstrating evidence and support and need for a borough-wide shopfront scheme, for the rural areas and for right across the borough.
“It’s something that we get positive feedback on time and time again. Any engagement that we have, the local businesses are looking shopfronts, they’re looking paint schemes. So it’s definitely on the agenda and you’ll have a paper at committee in April.”
Director of development and community and wellbeing, Paul Tamati, indicated there might be money available to make further improvements.
He said some of the schemes which council was involved in, such as shopfront schemes, was “within our own council budget”, which was “probably pretty minor in terms of the things that we can influence and do”.
But Mr Tamati added: “What we do know is that there’s bigger central government funding pots that are being looked at and developed up at the moment.
“You’ll be aware of the shaping sustainable places piece of work. We’ve been recently updated in relation to that and potential funding for that coming down the line, looking certainly around the rural areas and stuff like that, and we hope to be able to take advantage of that.
“We also know that the rural policy is working its way through and being in development and anticipate a fund coming out in relation to that, potentially to help improvements around rural towns and villages. We are reliant, quite a bit, on that coming forward.
“There’s probably going to be an ask from council around some sort of contribution funding to anything that will come forward as part of that.’
