Enhancement schemes re-energise retail hearts

“We shouldn’t be having to follow others – we should be the lead.”

Calls have been made to introduce enhancement schemes to areas like Ballyfermot and Crumlin following the work done in South Dublin.

Several councillors in Dublin City Council have raised the prospect of physical regeneration of suburban villages and districts such as Ballyfermot, Inchicore and Crumlin.

The calls to do so come after South Dublin County Council lined up several enhancement schemes within its remit, including works in Lucan and Bawnogue.

Councillor Vincent Jackson stated that opportunities to bring similar schemes to Ballyfermot and other areas would help the areas

“We’re being asked to take thousands of extra housing units all the time. Every green open space. Every industrial estate.

“But there doesn’t ever seem to be a corresponding funding stream to re-energise the retail hearts of these areas and I think it’s an essential component.

South Dublin County Council…they’ve done it up in Tymon North in Tallaght, they’ve done it in Bawnogue Shopping Centre.”

Enhancement schemes in South Dublin have seen areas subject to them adorned with upgraded public lighting, public seating infrastructure, and new footpath and junction improvements among other things.

Money has been earmarked for other enhancement projects in the villages of Rathfarnham, Tallaght and Clondalkin.

Councillor Michael Pidgeon pointed to the work done in Rialto as an example of work that has made a village “much, much nicer.”

Cllr Pidgeon said: “I would have thought Inchicore, kind of at the junction or if you call it the village, would be a prime candidate for that because it just seems like something where there is a lot of commercial activity, a lot of commercial life, lots of people there, but it just still feels like a junction.”

He added that the shopfront improvement scheme would work well alongside any future enhancement projects the council may undertake.

Cllr Jackson stated his belief that DCC should be taking the lead on projects like this rather than playing catch-up.

However, he added that he felt as if their priority to reinvigorate the retail lifespan of the heart of the city makes every other place in their remit “expendable.”

“We’ve almost put the white flag up that everyone’s going to go to Liffey Valley or Blanchardstown or Dundrum.

“If we’re saying that, well then the lowest common denominator that currently prevails – nails, hair and takeaways is the predominant retail offering that we’re going to offer people in the future.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.