Hopes for shop front improvement scheme across Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is hoping to deliver a shop front improvement scheme across the borough with funding from the Department for Communities (DfC).

The news was revealed by ABC Head of Economic Development, Nicola Wilson, at the latest Economic Development & Regeneration committee meeting of the council.

Back in December 2024, former Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Kyle Savage, Chris McNabb from HLM Architects, and Chair of the Place Board, Ethna McNamee, launched the draft Dromore Place Plan. Photo: Edward Byrne / ABC Council

placeholder image — Back in December 2024, former Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Kyle Savage, Chris McNabb from HLM Architects, and Chair of the Place Board, Ethna McNamee, launched the draft Dromore Place Plan. Photo: Edward Byrne / ABC Council

Councillorr Joy Ferguson (Alliance) asked: “[Has there been] progress to identify the feasibility of a Place Plan initiatives in Armagh, Banbridge and Dromore? Is there an update on that?”

The senior council officer replied: “We plan [to] deliver a range of regeneration projects across the borough, supported by DfC, and we [have been] talking about the Place Plan initiative for Armagh, Banbridge and Dromore, and we actually had a meeting yesterday around our Strategic Investment Group.

The place plan for Banbridge recommends maximising the use of all available workspace, with retail use at ground-floor level, and mixed-use, social/leisure activities, or housing on upper floors. Credit: Google

“We are collating projects across the borough that are within our Place Plans, and seeing where we could put them for additional funding.

“One of those projects was the idea of perhaps a shop front improvement scheme. My colleague Elaine Gillespie, [head of Community Planning, Policy & Research], is helping to compile that list that is going on to the DfC Forward Work plan.

Former hair salon in Tandragee to be converted into café

“That was the one initiative that we are working with colleagues to try and progress, and that covers all the Place Plans.”

Place Plans enable the social, economic and environmental development of a place. They provide an understanding of the place, its context, the offering, asset strengths, opportunities and challenges.

A Place Plan provides clear outcomes and a mix of realistic, aspirational and short/medium and long-term actions to improve the place. It is built upon feedback and agreement from the wider community.