THRIVE (Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme) Online Survey

THRIVE – the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme – was launched by Minister of State for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell TD on 8^th February 2024. €120 million funded by government under the ERDF Regional Programmes through the Southern Regional Assembly, the THRIVE Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme supports local authorities and their citizens to regenerate town centres by transforming publicly owned vacant, under-utilised or derelict heritage buildings within key town centres through renovation, renewal, and adaptive reuse. It will deliver on policies set out in the National Planning Framework and Southern Regional Spatial Economic Strategy.

THRIVE incorporates the core values of the New European Bauhaus – sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. The scheme promotes a citizen-centred community-led approach to planning, design and project selection under the Town Centre First Framework. THRIVE is targeted at larger urban settlements – cities, regional growth centres and key towns. Heritage buildings under the scheme are classified as structures that form part of the architectural heritage and have unique architectural, historical, archaeological or artistic qualities, or are linked to the cultural and economic history of a place.

THRIVE launched two calls for applications in February 2024.

Strand 1 applications relate to:

• integrated urban strategies and project pipeline development, including for the development and enhancement of integrated urban strategies,
• identification of projects that promote the conservation and adaptive reuse of our built heritage stock while reducing vacancy and dereliction in town centres,
• prioritisation, development and specification of project proposals to create a pipeline of investment-ready built heritage refurbishments, renovation and adaptive reuse projects.

Strand 2 applications relate to:

• Renovation and adaptive reuse of vacant or derelict heritage buildings.
• Delivery of selected pilot and pathfinder projects that will have a positive and transformative impact on town centre vacancy and dereliction and that will inform the approach for other towns at earlier stages in the process.

Kerry County Council submitted two applications for funding under Strand 1:

Killarney:

• Development of an integrated urban strategy for Killarney town.
• Identification of projects that promote the conservation and adaptive reuse of our built heritage stock while reducing vacancy and dereliction in the town centre.
• Prioritisation, development, and specification of project proposals to create a pipeline of investment-ready built heritage refurbishment, renovation and adaptive reuse projects, bringing one of them to a stage of readiness where it could be included in a Strand 2 application, in the future.

Tralee:

• Development of an integrated urban strategy for Tralee town.
• Identification of projects that promote the conservation and adaptive reuse of our built heritage stock while reducing vacancy and dereliction in the town centre.
• Prioritisation, development, and specification of project proposals to create a pipeline of investment-ready built heritage refurbishment, renovation and adaptive reuse projects, bringing one of them to a stage of readiness where it could be included in a Strand 2 application, in the future.

Both applications received approval in May 2024, with grant funding of €197,094 awarded to each town to advance these projects.

The Council is currently seeking Consultants to support the development of the Integrated Urban Strategies for the towns of Tralee and Killarney. Over the coming months, engagement with key stakeholders will take place across both towns, along with several public consultation meetings.

The THRIVE Strand 2 call for applications is expected to open in early 2025. Kerry County Council will be working towards submitting an application for the delivery of a project under that call.

The projects are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027.

The process is being led by the Jean Foley, Town Regeneration Officer, Kerry County Council.

For any further queries, please contact [email protected]

Key Resources:

http://www.southernassembly.ie/  – Programme Managing Authority