Leitrim firm wins contract for Ballyhaunis Town First project
This striking image of the old Ulster Bank premises in Ballyhaunis after snowfall last November was captured by local photographer Adam Kaczmarek.
A company based in Carrick-on-Shannon in Co Leitrim has been appointed by Mayo County Council to draw up the Ballyhaunis Town Centre First Plan. The contract was secured by TBLA through a procurement process.
Ballyhaunis is only the second town in Mayo selected for the initiative by the council, which will draw down €30,000 from the state for a Ballyhaunis development plan to be drafted by TBLA after consultation with the local community.
Tom Bradford, a landscape architect with TBLA, will lead the Ballyhaunis project while other members of his team have expertise in urban design and regeneration, masterplanning and restoration of historic sites. The Leitrim company also has a track record in public consultation and community engagement.
TBLA describes itself as a “landscape design, urban planning and horticultural consultancy team”, providing services for public and private organisations across Ireland and the UK. TBLA representatives will meet the Town Centre First team – a collection of individuals drawn from various organisations in the town - in Ballyhaunis later this month. The team from TBLA is currently studying a database of documents collected by the local community and Mayo County Council.
Town Centre First is a state initiative delivered by local authorities that, according to the Government, “aims to regenerate towns across Ireland, creating town centres that are viable, vibrant, and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit".
