Tyrone Courier - News - Dungannon Public Realm Scheme gets funding boost

News

Dungannon Public Realm Scheme gets funding boost

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

DUNGANNON town centre is due to be transformed with a £2million facelift ready to commence in a matter of weeks.
And a further boost has been provided for Dungannon's planned Public Realm Scheme with news that the local Council in association with the Dungannon Regeneration Partnership has secured a £114,500 painted signage scheme upgrade for the town centre from the Department of Social Development.
“This will take in shop front improvement, the painting of premises and minor works and is further designed to enhance the look of the town centre," explained Town Development Manager, Paul McCreedy.
“We have set a target of involving and completing works on 100 properties in and around the town centre as part of this enhancement scheme which we believe will further benefit the core commercial heart of Dungannon and help in the drive to attract increased footfall to the area."
Mr McCreedy revealed that this latest enhancement project is due to be officially launched in March.
Meanwhile, the contractor for the Public Realm Scheme designed to provide Dungannon town centre with a much-needed facelift is expected to be appointed in March.
The tender package details for the ambitious scheme are undergoing final analysis before being released to a select list of five design and build contractors bidding for the works.
“We are in the process of crossing t's and dotting i's within the tender documentation with a view to appointing a contractor in early March," explained Mr McCreedy.
With an element of design input still required for the scheme the appointed contractor is not expected to move onto site to deliver the nine month contract before May, which would take completion of the project into February of next year 2013.
However, Mr McCreedy emphasised that the contract would be phased accordingly and rolled out to ensure the minimum of disruption to local businesses with an embargo placed on works over the Christmas period.
“There will be a number of key dates to be met within the programme and we want local businesses to be assured that disruption will be kept to a minimum," continued Mr McCreedy.
The Public Realm scheme, which is expected to cost in the region of £2million, was first announced in March 2008 with work due to commence in October 2010.
However, the scheme was put on hold as a result of a moratorium on capital projects within Department for Social Development (DSD) as a result of the economic recession but resurrected following the successful lobbying by a cross-party delegation from Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.
In January of last year the Courier reported that the lobbying exercise by Dungannon Council, supported by Dungannon Regeneration Partnership and Town Traders' Association, had been successful in having the scheme included in part of the Department's budget submissions to the NI Assembly.
Clearance was finally given and the reappraisal led to a starting date being scheduled towards the later end of 2011 but with the run up to the busy Christmas period the decision was taken to hold off until now.
Upon completion the Public Realm Scheme will revitalise and reinvigorate the town centre whilst tying in with the nearby Castle Hill project which is currently underway.