Drogheda’s long-neglected West Gate House and the former Drogheda Youth Development building are about to undergo a €10 million transformation, following the award of €7 million in THRIVE funding.
Here are five things you may not know about this landmark regeneration project.
1. It’s been a decade in the making.
The seeds of this project were planted back in 2015 when the Royal Institute of Architects held a symposium in Drogheda with Louth County Council.
The consensus was clear: the west end of the town needed attention, and West Gate House was identified as a priority site to create a sense of arrival into the heart of Drogheda.
2. The site was once earmarked for decentralisation.
Over 20 years ago, then Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy earmarked West Gate House, the DYD building and car park for use as the decentralised Department of Social Protection.
The 2008 crash derailed those plans, and it took years for the OPW to finally transfer West Gate House to Louth County Council.
3. Local councillor Pio Smith was the driving force.
“This funding has finally been secured because we had a plan in place,” said Cllr Pio Smith, who first proposed that Louth County Council apply for THRIVE funding. “No plan, no funding – it’s that simple.”
Smith pushed the council to apply for €200,000 in Strand 1 funding in 2024, which brought Shaffrey Architects on board to develop an integrated urban strategy. This crucial step made the project “shovel ready” and eligible for the €7 million THRIVE award.
4. Community activism played a vital role.
From workshops with community groups, artists, educators and businesses, to the persistent campaigning of initiatives like Derelict Drogheda, the public played an important part in shaping the project. “What followed was a series of extensive consultations to create a project with a real sense of ownership for everyone in the town,” said Cllr Smith.
5. It’s part of a bigger picture.
The West Gate House regeneration is just one piece of a broader West Gate Vision first launched in 2018, which has recently been approved by An Bord Pleanála.
Combined with projects like the Abbey Centre, these initiatives could be “game changers” for Drogheda’s historic town core.
As Cllr Smith summed it up: “I was proud and happy to get the ball rolling on this project but it’s been a team effort. Now that the funding is secured, I hope to see movement on the ground in short order and the revitalisation of this once neglected part of our town.”
