Council plans further revitalisation projects for Dromore with call for focus on The Square

The bulk of the total funding (£250,000) came from the Department for Communities (DfC), with Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council contributing £20,250.

To date, a total of £108,482.08 has been used to fund the following private-sector projects: 14 shop front improvement grants; three café culture grants to fund improvements promoting outside dining; one spruce-up grant to address a derelict site, so that it is ready for any future development.

The above schemes are very much ‘work in progress’, as the relevant agenda item, published ahead of last Tuesday’s (September 10) ABC Economic Development & Regeneration Committee meeting, explains: “Two projects have successfully completed, with eight having already commenced. A further eight are due to start in the coming weeks.

“Two additional projects are currently awaiting approval, which would bring the total from 18 to 20 projects and a total value of £121,682.08.

“However, there is a current underspend of £116,717.92 for this project, which council would like to direct into a range of other projects to ensure that the funding is kept within Dromore, for the benefit of the town retailers and businesses.

“This remaining budget may slightly increase if there is any further slippage from current projects.

Full Potential

“There are a number of reasons why the project has not completed to its full potential. The initial delivery of the scheme as a council-managed, one-contractor delivery model was unsuccessful – the contractor withdrew at a late stage – and the scheme had to revert back to a grant-based scheme.

“Inevitably, time passed and circumstances changed within the business community, with some withdrawing due to financial reasons, as applicants are required to make a 20% contribution themselves towards the costs of their works.”

The ABC Council is anxious to make the most of that underspend to fund other revitalisation projects within Dromore, as the report goes on to explain: “Officers are now focusing on working alongside colleagues in the Department for Communities to look at a new application to avail of this underspend, between now and the end of March 2025.

“This will include submitting a new application for funding to DfC for this funding, which will be ring-fenced to Dromore town centre.

“Officers have discussed options for projects with Dromore Chamber of Commerce and considered draft community consultations from the Dromore Place Plan.

“Given this funding can only be used to revitalise Dromore town centre, officers are proposing that we commit this funding as follows: to update the current seasonal lighting in Dromore town centre; and utilise any underspend to address repairs and maintenance issues within the town centre.”

Cllr Tim McClelland (DUP, Lagan River DEA) commented: “It’s important that we are keeping the money for Dromore. I think that is absolutely vital because it certainly was a well needed investment.

“In terms of the underspend, I think it’s to be welcomed that officers are giving consideration to how the remainder of the money can be spent. It’s important that it is spent on works that will actually tangibly benefit Dromore and surrounding area in as good a way as possible.

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“I see the reference to the potential spend on the seasonal lighting in the town centre, and I think it will enhance the offering at that very important Christmas time.

“And of course I am making the assumption that when we’re talking about seasonal lighting, that is the Christmas season lighting that we are referencing here.

“In terms of point 2, where it talks about any remaining budget, two or three years ago, there were issues around the public address system in The Square, again around the Christmas season.

“My memory fails me in terms of whether that problem was completely sorted out, but certainly it strikes me that it’s that type of item that needs attention, because we have one chance here. This underspend needs to be put for the maximum use of Dromore.”

ABC Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Kyle Savage (UUP, Lagan River DEA) expressed frustration in relation to issues he has been flagging up for some time: “This process has been difficult from the start. I know our staff have been through the hoops on this one and I congratulate them on that.

“I’m happy to propose this, but I think too, whenever we look at all the different things in Dromore, in Meeting Street [there are] those traders whose businesses feel out of the town, not connected into the town. I think it’s important that the best of lighting continues up that street.

“But there’s a bigger issue there within Dromore which has just come to my attention. I’ve got a couple of emails complaining about it, and that’s The Square itself.

“The cobbles are loose and there’s a couple of trips in all of that, and to me that’s a litigation ready to happen. So at some stage I think we actually need to prioritise what’s going here for council, and protect council from litigation.

“The uplighters aren’t even working in The Square. I’ve been on with Maintenance this last two years or more and getting nowhere with that. So that uplighting, and the cobbled area in The Square itself, is a big priority as I see it, and of course the street lighting.”

The recommendation to agree to a new programme of works up until March 2025 was seconded by Cllr McClelland.

François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter