Design Team Sought For Milford Town Centre Plan

Work to prepare Town Centre First Plan for Milford, Co Donegal, is set to be unlocked with a major appointment.

Donegal County Council has launched a search to appoint an Architect Led Full Integrated Design Team for the project.

This project is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development under the Town and Village Renewal Fund programme and is the 1st Phase of the Town Centre First Masterplan Initiative implemented by the Department as a part of Our Rural Future. Our Rural Future outlines a vision to support the regeneration and development of rural towns and villages to contribute to local and national economic recovery, and to enable people to live and work in a vibrant environment. It represents a new approach to the development of our towns where local communities and local businesses are central to reimagining their own towns and planning their own futures.

The Town Centre First Plan is to be prepared in line with the new National Policy 'Town Centre First – A Policy Approach for Irish Towns'. The Policy sets out a framework to facilitate and resource each town to chart their own future through a tailored plan, developed collaboratively and supported by their Local Authority aiming to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive places for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub of the local community. Aligning with this Policy the Town Centre First Plan for Milford will be regeneration & renewal focused and will put place-making at the centre of the value proposition for the town as a means of enabling and attracting activity and investment. Most importantly, the Plan will be consultative, collaborative, evidenced and action focused and will rely on the involvement of key stakeholders including public sector agencies, private sector companies as well as community organisations that exist within the town. The outcome will be a Town Centre First Plan that delivers high levels of community endorsement, ownership and consensus around it.


Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Liam Blaney said: "This project presents a valuable opportunity for the convergence of community vision, business interests, local knowledge and key Sectoral Stakeholder and Local Authority multi-disciplinary expertise to co-design a roadmap for the regeneration and future development of Milford which will transform the urban fabric of the town and be a catalyst for increased activity within it driving investment, creating jobs and activating the private sector.

"I am looking forward to working with the Council, the community and the Design Team in the development of this exciting regeneration project for Milford."

Speaking about the project, Liam Ward, Director of Community Development and Planning Services with Donegal County Council added: "Led by the Council's Regeneration and Development Team the project will engage, mobilise and empower the local community & business stakeholders to deliver a Plan for a vibrant, liveable and fully functioning town centre by identifying a range of potential improvements, actions, opportunities and new developments that will define the town's role and image going forward equipping the town to adapt to future challenges, build climate resilience and thereby strengthen its capacity to perform competitively and support the wellbeing of an engaged community.

"The project will be rooted in the principles of town centre renewal and rural regeneration in transforming landmark and under-utilised assets to make the town a more attractive place for residents and visitors and stimulate and support existing and emerging business that will animate the revival of the town."