Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme

For several years, we have been working on projects supported by the Irish Government’s Town Centre First initiative, championing a compact growth and holistic placemaking approach to town centre regeneration. The 2024 launch of the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE) unlocked funding for the transformative potential of historic buildings which might otherwise have an uncertain future. Rooted in the New European Bauhaus, a value-based planning paradigm which prioritises civic participation, good design and sustainability, we have produced THRIVE strategies for Galway West, Ennis, Carrick-on-Shannon, Tralee and Killarney to support the renewal and adaptive reuse of vacant or derelict heritage buildings. Under THRIVE Strand 2, the bids for the re-use of Cloister in Ennis, and Ashe Memorial Hall in Tralee were both successful, each securing €7m of funding.