The Challenge of Gateway for Developing Sligo City
SLIGO COUNTY MANAGER HUBERT KEARNS OUTLINES A VISION
Sligo County Manager Hubert Kearns feels that ‘growing and developing’ Sligo City is a key objective for Sligo Local Authorities in the coming years. ‘The National Spatial Strategy’ is aimed at accelerating the development of gateway cities, and this will be the key determinant of economic prosperity in the entire county and region. It is proven that successful regions are built around attractive and vibrant cities, and businesses will invariably be attracted to places with high quality infrastructure and services.’
QUALITY OF LIFE
Sligo Local Authorities must frame their work programmes and priorities around the objective of delivering on our ‘Gateway’ status. However this cannot be achieved in isolation, we have to work in active partnership with other government agencies, the private sector and the community and voluntary sector.
Our common goal is to promote Sligo as an attractive destination for both the commercial and tourist market, and in the process to ensure a better quality of life for people who live in or visit our city and its environs.
LEADERSHIP
Sligo faces a number of challenges in achieving its potential. It is the smallest of the designated gateways, and we are heavily dependent on the European Union and on the strength of the U.S. economy. But there is also much we can do locally, in terms of showing leadership and achieving consensus as to the way forward, and to market Sligo to a wider audience.
ENHANCING URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The process of developing our city involves the planning and delivery of a range of key projects. The pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street is the first step in the enhancement of the city centre area, and a major programme of parks and amenity areas is being delivered by our Parks Department - a new Riverside walkway is almost competed, a promenade and recreation area is underway at Cartron Bay, the Doorly Park area is being rejuvenated under an Environmental Improvement Scheme. A new recreation area is also being developed on the site of the old swimming pool near Hughes Bridge. We have also exciting plans for new civic spaces in Quay Street and Stephen St car-parks, which will greatly enhance the urban environment.
Sligo Borough Council is promoting a progressive sporting and recreational strategy for Sligo, and the next few years will see the delivery of major sporting facilities at Forthill, Doorly Park, Cleveragh and Cartron, as well as improving existing amenity areas such as Mitchell Curley Park.
VISION FOR SLIGO
Sligo has an excellent opportunity to access substantial funding under the Government’s National Development Plan 2007-2013. €300 million will be provided for the designated ‘Gateways’, and there is an excellent opportunity to articulate a vision for Sligo and to attract significant support through the Government Innovation Fund.
One proposal being considered by Sligo Borough Council is a Development Strategy for Sligo’s ‘South Eastern Quadrant’, a major initiative which entails the development of a new Eastern River Bridge and Approach Roads, the regeneration of the Cranmore/Abbeyquarter area, the development of Cleveragh lands as a regional recreation and amenity campus and the provision of a new race course for Sligo. This suite of developments will open up new housing, commercial and amenity opportunities, and the Local Authority will have a leading role to play in delivering these projects. The Cranmore Regeneration Project involves a multi-agency approach which will enable the community of Cranmore to participate in and promote the economic, social and community development of their area.
INFRASTRUCTURE
One of our main responsibilities as a Local Authority is to plan and deliver high quality transport and service infrastructure to meet future demands of the commercial and private sector. Business people want to be where there is a wide range of infrastructure and facilities. In this context Sligo is very well positioned as a key centre for economic growth in the northwest, and the construction of major infrastructural projects, such as the new Inner Relief Road, sends a positive message to existing and potential enterprises that the Local Authorities will deliver for Sligo.
Other major roads initiatives being progressed are the Eastern Garvogue River Bridge and the Western Distributor Road, which will provide vital access to the IDA Business and Technology Park in Finisklin and the proposed IDA Park at Oakfield. The delivery of these projects will ensure Sligo will be well placed to attract new investment and employment to Sligo, and will also facilitate the creation of a ‘critical mass’ to enable our city to attract further investment of technology and talent.
In terms of water and waste water services, Sligo Local Authorities have invested significant resources into delivering major infrastructure
throughout the county. A new Water Treatment Plant is being constructed at Kilsellagh, and our Rural Water programme is arguably the most progressive in the country. In the last twelve months alone we have provided twelve new group schemes which deliver a quality water supply to over 1800 households.
HARBOUR MASTERPLAN
Sligo Local Authorities envisage the development of Sligo Port as pivotal to the continued growth of Sligo as a ‘Gateway City’ and also for the economic development of the northwest.
Given its closeness to the centre of Sligo, it is of major strategic importance in terms of shipping and the land use of the area. The harbour is an area of significant potential. It will present a major challenge to the Local Authority and clearly it will take many years to secure its proper development. We are satisfied that we can meet this challenge and secure the development of the harbour in terms of shipping and as a driver of the economic development of the region.
CULTURAL TOURISM
Sligo County Council is advancing plans for the development of a new cultural quarter for Sligo, which will include a new museum, and extended and refurbished Model & Niland Gallery. A new civic space will host outside performances and will be linked to the city and the river through new pedestrian walkways.
We expect the development of cultural facilities to be a driving force in the success of the city and will boost Sligo’s reputation as a cultural and tourism destination. It will also be designed to improve facilities for local people in a region steeped in archaeological treasures and culture.
The development of a cultural quarter is one of a number of strategies Sligo Local Authorities have to strengthen Sligo city’s status as a cultural centre. The ACCESS funding programme administered by the Department of Arts, Sports & Tourism is designed to place cultural facilities and visitor attractions into Gateway cities.
NEW COMMUNITIES
The growing and development of Sligo must be carried out in a planned and structured manner. Sligo Local Authorities have worked with the various communities to prepare and publish frameworks for the future, from the Sligo & Environs Development Plan, Sligo City Centre Block Masterplan, Ballinode Area Plan and the North Fringe Area Plan. In essence we are building new communities, and the plans for the Cranmore/Abbeyquarter Area will see entire new
communities in our East Ward.
PARTNERSHIP
The key to the continuing growth and development of our city is our ability to work with other agencies at local and national level. The Local Authorities have a wide ranging remit to lobby, encourage, facilitate development, in summary to promote Sligo. To accomplish this we work with numerous organisations, including the County Development Board, the IDA, HSE, the Tourism Authorities, Sligo Institute of Technology, Sligo Airport and Iarnrod Eireann.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Working with these agencies in the context of our Area Plans and Development Plans gives certainty to the private sector. The fact that our Planning Authorities are positive and progressive can act as a catalyst for progress and growth. Our development plans and mini-plans provide the basic blueprint for future development and provide the policy context for decisions on planning applications. They are core documents not only for directing physical development, but also to facilitate socio-economic progress. In essence they represent a contract between the general public, elected members and Local Authority staff.
The National Spatial Strategy provides the backdrop to local and regional planning, with the over-riding objective for the Sligo Local Authorities of promoting strong urban centres, delivering effective infrastructure networks, and providing key social, cultural and recreational infrastructure.
