Councillors support introduction of heritage-led colour scheme for county's towns and villages

A proposal to introduce coordinated colour schemes in local towns and villages received broad support from councillors at a recent meeting of Roscommon County Council.

Tabling the motion, Independent councillor Tom Crosby called on the local authority to develop a policy and secure funding to engage a qualified heritage and colour design specialist. The specialist would prepare coordinated colour palettes for towns and villages benefiting from public realm enhancement projects, helping to improve their appearance while protecting and enhancing their heritage character.

Cllr Crosby cited Strokestown, where major upgrade works are underway on Church Street and Bawn Street, as one of the places that could benefit from this initiative.

During the discussion on the motion, councillors pointed to the significant public investment being made in regeneration projects throughout the county. They argued that carefully designed colour schemes would complement those works, creating more attractive and cohesive streetscapes for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

In a formal response to Cllr Crosby’s motion, Roscommon County Council noted that it had previously availed of Department of Rural and Community Development and Gaeltacht funding schemes to support streetscape enhancement projects. This included painting initiatives in towns and villages across the county.

The local authority said it would seek funding to prepare heritage-informed colour coordination schemes for selected towns and villages, particularly those that have already benefited from significant public realm projects. It also indicated that it would explore opportunities to secure further funding to assist with implementing future painting schemes.

However, the council stressed that any future programme would need to strike an appropriate balance between public investment and private responsibility, encouraging property owners to continue maintaining and improving their own buildings.

Welcoming the response, Cllr Crosby said Strokestown, as a heritage and planned town, was experiencing substantial improvement works. While acknowledging that some residents had initially expressed reservations about the works, he said the overall transformation was becoming increasingly evident.

He also suggested that a coordinated painting programme, alongside measures to tackle inappropriate signage and support roof cleaning, could significantly enhance the appearance of towns and villages and build on existing regeneration efforts.

Fine Gael councillor Liam Callaghan also voiced support for the proposal, pointing to recent signage improvements in Castleplunkett as an example of how small changes can make a noticeable difference to the presentation of towns and villages.

Elected members also stressed the need to review signage, particularly in areas of historic and architectural importance, and suggested that colour coordination initiatives should be considered as part of larger regeneration projects and grant schemes.

Reference was also made to colour scheme studies previously undertaken by paint companies, which could provide useful guidance. Councillors noted the success of similar painting schemes elsewhere and emphasised the importance of securing community support for any programmes introduced.

They agreed that coordinated streetscape improvements could work hand-in-hand with the efforts of local Tidy Towns groups, enhancing civic pride while also boosting tourism. The meeting heard that improved streetscapes were increasingly important in attracting visitors and promoting local tourism through social media and online platforms.

•Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme