Bleary: digital hub project with East Border Region funding 'will transform' area
A relatively underused facility in Bleary has been earmarked for transformation into a vibrant digital hub with major funding from a cross-border body.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) council’s Head of Economic Development, Nicola Wilson revealed details of the project for Bleary Business and Community Centre at a recent meeting of the ABC Economic Development & Regeneration Committee.
The East Border Region (EBR) has been awarded just over €6m in EU/UK Peace+ funding to turn disused or underutilised venues into ‘Mini-Digi Hubs’, as part of a ‘Smart Towns and Villages’ project.
ABC council is one of six local authorities forming the East Border Region.
Nicola Wilson told councillors: “It’s a good news story. As you know, we as a council are part of East Border Region. A number of councils worked together to make an application to the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), looking to address the digital divide and catalyse economic development, inclusivity and balance regional development.
“So an application was made by all the partners, and we’ve been advised that over £6m has been granted to this partnership.
“Our allocation of that is €720,000. The project’s central objective is really about transforming underutilised public buildings into vibrant digital hubs, and each with a unique focus designed to meet individual needs.
“So every council area has got a very unique project that whenever you put it all together, SEUPB felt it helped address this digital divide.
“So for our council area our project is a new Incubation and Learning Hub in Bleary Business and Community Centre, and we hope that the centre will be rejuvenated into a launchpad for new ideas and digital skills development, looking at nurturing innovation and providing space for learning and developing digital skills.
“We think it’s going to really transform Bleary and it will be a help for learning, but also for anybody wanting to hot-desk or to start up their own business with all the new tech on site. And this will be specifically designed for entrepreneurs as well.
“You’ll see we have sketch drawings that were done in the early days. Now, the application was made a while ago and things have changed slightly, but you get the idea of what we’re trying to achieve.
“We’ve taken a lot of learning from other places that we’ve been to see as Council and put it together to make the most of the space, and to make it an exciting and inviting space as well that will meet the needs of entrepreneurs and learners, now and into the future.”
Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon (SDLP, Armagh DEA) asked: “Can I just ask about site selection, how we arrived with this particular venue? Because I know there was quite a bit of work done over the previous mandates around digital hubs.”
The head of Economic Development explained that a lot of thought had gone into choosing a venue: “There was a lot of discussion around sites and what the selections would be.
“It had to be a public building that was underutilised. There was also a requirement with regards to the population figure as well, so that narrowed it down to Bleary.
“I haven’t got all the details in front of me, but I know population was a key factor, which meant that only Bleary could move forward in this regard.”
The aim of the project is to address the digital divide and catalyse economic growth, inclusivity, and balanced regional development, by transforming underutilised public buildings into vibrant digital hubs, each with a unique thematic focus designed to meet the specific needs of their local communities and the region at large.
The East Border Region’s partner local authorities are Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Ards & North Down Borough Council, Newry, Down & Mourne District Council, Monaghan County Council, Louth County Council and Meath County Council.