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Town Centre First Policy
From Department of Rural and Community Development; Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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The Town Centre First Policy, launched on 4 February 2022, is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It advocates for a holistic, place-based approach to sustainable rural development. Irish towns are facing significant challenges and opportunities that require a coordinated and comprehensive response.
Town Centre First (TCF) recognises that every town is unique and the policy will facilitate the response by towns of all sizes across the country so that their centres can function as the sustainable and vibrant heart of the communities they serve, in ways that are adaptable and appropriate to 21st century needs.
The policy was jointly created by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It contains 33 actions which will give towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places in which to live, work, socialise and run a business. This will focus on charting the future direction of their towns, address issues of vacancy and dereliction and add vibrancy to the town centre.
A National Town Centre Office has been established, within the LGMA, to deliver on the policy. Further details of the office can be found on the Town Centre First webpage.
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In 2018 the Department of Rural and Community Development completed a Town Centre Living pilot. The aim of the initiative was to:
- explore how to encourage increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages; and
- address the issue of vacant properties.
Six towns were identified to pilot the approach. These towns were:
1. Ballinrobe, Co Mayo
2. Banagher, Co Offaly
3. Boyle, Co Roscommon
4. Callan, Co Kilkenny
5. Cappoquin, Co Waterford
6. Castleblayney, Co Monaghan
An independent review report on this pilot was conducted by Space Engagers. Space Engagers is a social enterprise that emerged from a research project at University College Dublin and which explores how towns and cities can be made more resilient and sustainable.
The Town Centre Living Initiative report was published on 22 June 2020 and contained information regarding the implementation of the pilot in each town, workshop summaries, discussed emerging issues and identified 15 actions for consideration by the Department.
Following the report, the Programme for Government committed to developing the Town Centre First policy.
In December 2021, Minister Humphreys announced €2.6m in funding for 26 towns to develop Town Centre First Plans. These 26 towns were nominated by Local Authorities and approved by the Minister. All 26 supported plans under this pilot initiative have now been completed, and a list of the towns selected under this first phase can be found below.
The 26 towns previously selected to complete Town Centre First Plans under Phase 1 can be found here .
Further information on the completed plans is available on the Town Centre First website.
The Department launched a new Town Centre First Suite of Supports in February 2024 that will provide an additional investment of €4.56 million for rural communities across Ireland.
The Suite of Supports will implement a series of measures for rural communities. Each measure is accompanied by its own eligibility criteria, thereby targeting a number of towns per county. These supports will ensure resources which are effectively allocated and provides clear support to local communities and town teams in leading the revitalisation of their towns and villages.
The new package of supports will support the following measures:
1. Town Team Support Fund: Funding of up to €10,000 each for three towns to support the establishment and/or development of town teams where they are not already well established.
2. Town Centre First Plan: Funding of €30,000 will be available to support the development of a TCF plan in a rural town.
Please see the document below for the list of towns to be supported under this measure:
Towns Selected for Plan Funding under Measure 2 of the Town Centre First Suite of Supports
Announced in February 2024.
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3. Project Development Measure: This measure will assist Local Authorities to contribute to a pipeline of significant, well developed projects by providing funding of €50,000 each to support two projects, with an additional third €50,000 application available for the Region in Transition: North-West Counties.
Full details of these measures, including the eligibility, activities supported and the deadline for submission for applications for each measure to the Department can be viewed in the Scheme Outline below.
Town Centre First - 2024 Suite of Supports Scheme Outline
February 2024
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Town Teams should comprise of representatives of local residents, business people, community/voluntary groups, youth representatives, and other stakeholders who come together with the support of the Local Authority through the dedicated Town Regeneration Officer to develop a Town Centre First Plan and follow through with identified actions to make their area a better place to live, work and visit.
Contact your local authority to speak to the relevant Town Regeneration Officer, or contact the National TCF Office at tcf@lgma.ie who can put you in touch.