Council says Strokestown's public realm project is ‘a once in lifetime opportunity’ for town

As concern continues to grow in Strokestown over the public realm enhancement plan for the town and protests continued for a third day outside the offices of Roscommon County Council, the council this evening issued a statement assuring the public that the “project is a once in a lifetime transformational opportunity for the town”.

The daily demonstration in Roscommon Town follows an initial protest in Strokestown on Sunday where up to two hundred people gathered.

Local residents fear that parking in the town could be restricted by up to 90% against current levels if the public realm plan goes ahead.

A petition, which has already gathered hundreds of signatures in Strokestown will be handed into the council.

This evening Roscommon County Council issued a statement saying: “Roscommon County Council welcomes the announcement by Minister Humphries of the allocation of €5.9m from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) towards the €7.9m Rejuvenating Strokestown’s Potential project.

“This project is a once in a lifetime transformational opportunity to deliver an enhanced public realm for the town centre creating pedestrian space, improved connectivity, places for people to congregate and dwell and event space.

“Strokestown is County Roscommon’s first Town Centre First Town. The Town Centre First policy aims to create town centres that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the business, service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.

“The Strokestown 2040 – Town Centre First Plan was developed during 2022 and 2023 through extensive consultation with the local community, community groups and other stakeholders.

"The plan outlines eight transformational proposals the first two of which are a connected public realm improvement scheme and an integrated Strokestown Park House and gardens.

"The Rejuvenating Strokestown’s Potential project, which will help address these proposals, was developed by the Council’s Regeneration Team assisted by some of the foremost expert consultants in the field.

“The current unstructured parking regime has resulted in an unknown number of parking spaces in the town. Thanks to the proposed public realm works, there will be provision of structured 270 parking spaces, which it’s felt is more than sufficient to meet the normal daily business needs of the community on the Bawn Street and Church Street areas.

“The project was informed by extensive public consultation that culminated in the statutory planning consent process known as the Part 8 planning process. The project received planning permission in December 2023, which was a prerequisite for the funding application.

“As with all planning permissions, the project must be delivered in accordance with the plans and other particulars publicly presented. The purpose of this proposed project is to deliver an enhanced public realm for Strokestown Town Centre Core, creating pedestrian space, and places for people to congregate and dwell, as well as event space.

“Works include the provision of event space and street furniture throughout the scheme to include benches, seating, picnic tables, bollards and cycle stands. Soft landscaping work will include the provision of trees, shrubs and greenspace throughout.

“Other planned works include alterations to the existing road carriageway and roundabout, the provision of footpaths, along with shared pedestrian and cycle routes as well as controlled and uncontrolled pedestrian crossing facilities.

“Further features include the relocation of the Bus Stop provision; the alteration to existing parking provision to include the provision of disabled parking spaces and the provision of new road and wayfinding signage, road marking and public lighting.

“These public realm improvement works are in accordance with current standards, best practice and current policy regarding planning, rural development, town centre and active travel policy.

“Following the completion of the Rejuvenating Strokestown’s Potential project and the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramogue Road Project, which provides a bypass of the town, the council is confident that Strokestown will be better positioned to function as a viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit.

“Roscommon County Council believes the project will support and enhance Strokestown’s ability to function as a business, service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community, future-proofing the town’s economic and social viability,” the statement concluded