Social Development Minister Alex Attwood visited Strabane to launch the Strabane Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan.

The plan commissioned by DSD and Strabane District Council, addressed the retail, leisure, employment, transport and public space development opportunities for Strabane Town Centre.

The Masterplan is based on a number of focused workshops, analysis of local economic factors and urban development opportunities in the area. This has been complemented with extensive consultation across the key sectors in the town, including business, local government, youth groups, schools and representatives of the local political parties.

The plan has identified:

• the main sites for the town which have the capacity to support development with the potential to assist regeneration of Strabane town centre
• the potential for new leisure/retail offering at the existing SCORE site
• the creation of a new public space to provide a civic focus for the cultural core of Strabane
• potential development for mixed used retail to complement the existing retail core

-- Advertisement --

Launching the Masterplan Social Development Minister Alex Attwood said: "Urban regeneration is a complex and multi-faceted process that cannot be delivered by any one organisation acting alone. The most effective way to strengthen the economic competitiveness of an urban area and build social cohesion while safeguarding its distinctive character is through partnership.

"It is critical, therefore, that we act both strategically and locally. At the strategic level organisations must work collectively to address the economic, social, demographic and environmental issues that drive urban change. At local level we must engage with local communities to ensure they both shape and benefit from the regeneration process.

"Central Government cannot deliver all the actions contained within the plan. Rather central and local government, the community and private sectors must act together to deliver real and sustainable change. I believe we have the commitment and the structures within Strabane to meet this challenge and I have no doubt that the town will build on the excellent achievements that have been made in recent years.

"I want to be explicit and clearly understood. I want to avoid Strabane and all the other Strabanes, who are producing masterplans and attempting to move town centres forward, becoming frustrated by any decisions that slow down the potential to protect jobs and build new employment opportunities. If urban regeneration is not properly funded, town centres will not properly grow and prosper. I will be doing everything I can in the next few months to try and convince my Executive colleagues that investing in Strabane and its footbridge makes economic sense."

(CD/KMcA)