OFFALY COUNTY COUNCIL SECURES REGENERATION FUNDING FOR EDENDERRY- Press release 6th January 2022
Offaly County Council today (January 6th) welcomed an announcement by Minister Heather Humphreys that it was successful in its application for a €2.1m grant for Edenderry Regeneration Phase II project under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
The Project, which will be led by Offaly County Council, will require match funding from Council funds bringing the total to almost €2.7m and will continue the regeneration of the Blundell Master Plan area. The CE of Offaly County Council, Anna Marie Delaney said “I welcome the positive news of this substantial RRDF funding for Edenderry which will see the demolition works of the Old Tesco Site and enabling works to allow for further development of a new Community Library on the site”. She added “This grant will also fund the design team for the new library building and further appraisal of sites in the Blundell Master Plan area for leisure, community, cultural and services provision with a further Category 1 RRDF application for the future provision of a new community library for Edenderry”.
To date the Rural Regeneration Programme has funded the Blundell Master Plan and Edenderry Regeneration Phase I project. Phase I has improved the access to the Blundell Master Plan area and Blundell Avenue is due for completion in Q1 2022.
Speaking after the announcement, Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr. Declan Harvey said “the investment in Edenderry will enhance the town’s potential as an attractive and sustainable place to live, work and visit and an expanded library service for Edenderry in the future will be very welcome”. Cllr. Liam Quinn, Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Edenderry said “I am delighted with the announcement of such significant investment in the town and thank the Minister, Department of Rural and Community Development, staff of Offaly County Council and the co-operation between the local development groups, businesses and the wider community that led to the success of the application”.
The Edenderry Regeneration funding announcement today gives an unprecedented opportunity to deliver the scale of investment necessary to allow a rural town and its community to further develop and prosper. This investment is more important than ever to help address the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and to drive economic recovery and sustainable development into the future in Edenderry and the surrounding rural areas.
