Advertisement For Smiths Of DroghedaAdvertisement For O'Reilly Glass
Friday, 19th July 2024

Heritage Minister says money is available to restore Drogheda’s derelict buildings

Front Page

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, pictured at Beauliey house yesterday. Photo: Andy Spearman. 

“It is important that the local authority shows leadership in conserving and restoring built heritage.”

By Andy Spearman

Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan has told Drogheda Life that his department has money available to fund the restoration of derelict buildings whether the work is done by the building owners or the local authority.

Asked for any suggestions for a way forward from the current situation in Drogheda where buildings are literally falling into the streets, Laurence’s Gate is closed for traffic for almost nine years but still nothing done to present the structure in a manner befitting a 13th century city gate, Minister Noonan replied:

“I think it is important that the local authority shows leadership in conserving and restoring built heritage. This government has put significant funding in place to restore heritage buildings - built heritage investment schemes and other larger funding schemes.

“We’ve also put in Town Centre First Officers and Urban Regeneration personnel so there is a lot of expertise in local government that should be showing leadership right across the country.

Advertisement For Drogheda Credit Union Love to Lend

“It is important for local authorities to work together with communities and look at where the opportunities lie. It is all about collaboration, you know.

“Funding is an issue for local government, I appreciate that, but the opportunities are there, and for private owners of premises also, if they have a building that is on a protected structure list they can avail of very good grants to get them restored and I would really recommend that they apply to my department.

“What we’ve tried to do in this government is to put a focus on town centres through our “Town Centres First” policy and to ask local authorities to look at the significant funding opportunities that are there.

“I would ask them to take an holistic view of the entire town, look at its heritage inventory and see where it can work, building by building, street by street.”

The shocking condition of buildings in Narrow West Street, especially the near collapse of the old Brady's building (above) has brought the topic of dereliction very much to the fore.

“I would say this in a general context, particularly for local authorities and also for communities who are involved in preserving and who care about built heritage, it does involve taking a much broader view and understanding the economic value of built heritage.

Mr. Noonan also suggested that the Council contact the Heritage Council who he said are a wonderful organisation to guide and support local authorities in the work that they do.

“I think is important also for Local authorities to have their Heritage Officer, their architectural conservation officer and other professional services within the local authority to work with private owners of buildings.”

The Minister suggested that a Drogheda Town Team be created, with representatives from the council, building owners and the public, to look at all of the issues, the public spaces, landscaping, biodiversity, mobility, edge of town development and transport infrastructure.  He said that a town team in Dundalk has been very successful.

He said that a Town Team is needed to look at all of these things in a broad sense like what direction you want the town to go in, they need to take a look at the bigger picture.

Asked about what can be done when buildings are in danger of falling down and you can’t wait ten years for a plan of action he said:

“There are powers that the Local authority has around compulsory purchasing properties and that includes carrying out works and surcharging the owners. I would encourage the local authority to use those powers.”

Minister Noonan was in Drogheda yesterday to launch National Heritage Week - see:  National Heritage Week launched at Beaulieu House

 

Advertisement For Smiths Of Drogheda
Advertisement For O'Reilly Glass