A seven million euro fund has been announced by the government to enhance streetscapes & shopfronts in rural towns and villages. The scheme is designed to make rural towns and villages colourful, vibrant and attractive places and will be administered by local authories in collaboration with businesses and property owners
The scheme to be known as the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative will see €320,000 allocated to county Tipperary and a similar sum to county Limerick. The types of projects that could be supported include: painting, murals, upgrade of tradional shop fronts, street planting, illumination of architectural features , installion of canopies and street furniture and decluttering of streetscapes with removal of unnecessary signs / wires and poles.
Announcing the new initiative today, Minister Humphreys said:
This new initiative is about Local Authorities thinking strategically and working in collaboration with local businesses and property owners to add colour and vibrancy to our rural towns and villages. The Department says that the Streetscape Enhancement Measure will be administered by Local Authorities who will be requested to nominate at least two towns per county. Participating towns and villages will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Under the scheme grant funding will be provided at the following rates:
• 70% for Individual premises – matched funding 30%
• 80% for Joint applications (groups of 3 or more adjacent premises) – matched funding 20%
• 100% – Where painting is undertaken by direct labour by applicant
