Portarlington Regeneration Strategy 2030
On the 19th April 2021, Laois County Council was advised of their successful application to secure funding for the restoration and reuse of the Market House under the Rural Regeneration Fund 2021. A live webinar was held in May by Downey Planning along with Wilson Architecture and Mesh Architects on behalf of Laois County Council to present and discuss The Portarlington Regeneration Strategy 2030. The key objectives of the Strategy are to evaluate the potential to:
> Develop a vision for Portarlington town centre and public realm, with a focus on the historic Market House and Square, Main Street, Spa Street, and French Church Street, including proposals for public spaces, public buildings, parks and walkways.
>Develop proposals to connect the historic core with adjacent amenities, including People’s Park, River Barrow, Leisure and Community Centres, and play areas, and with the community amenity at Derryounce Bog by identifying priority pedestrian and cycle linkages.
>Identify key opportunity sites for enhancement and connection, where new residential or mixed-use development could promote opportunities for the Town Centre to help create more compact growth within the study area and address the current vacancy issues within the Town.
>Traffic management of the town’s historical centre aiming at prioritizing the pedestrians, including speed reduction, space sharing and traffic calming.
>Improve the public realm to increase biodiversity and promote safe, enjoyable, and environmentally friendly modes of transport.
