Page 3 - Callan Regeneration IN FOCUS

Kilkenny County Council selected In Callan we were delighted to have been the

Callan to pilot the “Framework for Town first town in Kilkenny where the setting up of

Centre Renewal” published by the Min- a Town Team was formally established in 2018.

ister for Jobs, Enterprise and Conser- This process in partnership with Kilkenny Coun-

vation, Heather Humphries in 2016. ty Council has led to significant developments
The Council identified Callan as a priority in the town over the last three years. The pro-

location due to the severe decline in its cess has brought groups together in the town,

economy and the dereliction in Mill Street all working towards implementing key ac-

and Bridge Street. Over the last five years tions that were identified following extensive

Kilkenny County Council have had a key consultations.

focus on addressing these issues through

the targeting of investment and the And with the support and expertise from Kilkenny County Coun-
development of proposals that are adding cil we are delighted to have been able to achieve over 70% of our

to the regeneration of Callan. actions from our town plan in just under three years. I would like to

take this opportunity to thank Kilkenny County Council for all there
Callan has suffered over the past decade support and to the Callan Town Team members who have played a

due to the economic decline and this is key role in helping us achieve our goals.

clearly evident in Bridge Street and Mill
Street which accounts for many of Cal- Dermot McCabe

lan’s vacant premises. The vacancy rate Chairperson (Callan Town Team)

in Callan has been high for commercial

addresses in Kilkenny. The town also

faced challenges in the context of unem-

ployment and general deprivation. As CALLAN
with many county towns around Ireland,

Callan has changed in recent years with

the development of an industrial park

away from the traditional town centre,

a bypass, large scale residential devel-

opments out of the town centre, vacant

properties (both commercial and resi- REGENERATION
dential) in the town centre, the closure

of traditionally owned family business-

es and underutilised heritage buildings.