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Local DevelopmentA variety of projects have broughtrenewed life and vibrancy to localcommunities.

Every effort was made to attractfunding from available sources.Grants from such headings asUrban & Village Renewal Schemes,International Fund for Ireland,Peace & Reconciliation, Interreg,etc. which had been matched withfunding from Louth LocalAuthorities, has made a significantimpact on the upgrading of townsand villages within the county.The following represents but asample of such schemes over theyears in question:� Ardee

(Carpark & landscaped area)� Clogherhead

(Refurbished tennis courts)� Omeath (Facelift of pier)� Castlebellingham

(Streetscape project)� Knockbridge (Stephenstown)

(Landscaped park & pond)� Refurbishment and restoration

of Seatown Castle� Seafront and village

improvements at Clogherhead� Promenade at Greenore� Restoration of motte & bailey

at Millmount� Restoration of St. Finian’s Park� Provision of a playground at

Carlingford

� Refurbishment of Magdalene Tower, Drogheda

� Ardee (Completion of carpark at Bridge Street)

� Refurbishment of Smarmore Castle

� Omeath Recreational Park� Tullyallen Village Enhancement� Renovation of Carlingford

Courthouse to incorporate a new branch library

� Barrack Corner footpath� Annagassan Harbour� Omeath Seafront Amenity Scheme� Footpaths at Kilsaran,

Castlebellingham and Tullyallen� Upgrading of facilities at

Monasterboice Round Tower� Pedestrian access to Orchard

Villas, Termonfeckin� Refurbishment of Wolfe Tone

Hall, Knockbridge� Undergrounding of public

lighting at Carlingford and Blackrock promenade

� Refurbishment of Grove Hill Gate, Drogheda

� Provision of children’s playground at the Fairgreen, Ardee

� Refurbishment of Blackrock promenade

� Undergrounding of overhead wires and new streetscape at Carlingford.

� Refurbishment of Ardee Castle� New public conveniences at

Carlingford, Port Oriel, Blackrock

39) Blackrock Millennium Project

40) Ardee Playground

41) Tholsel Street - Carlingford

42) Seatown Castle

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Another highlight related to a co-ordinated strategy pioneered bythe Louth County Strategy Group.In passing, this level of co-operation was to prove instrumentalin the successful establishment ofthe County Development Boardstructure in later years. Theestablishment of “Partnership Court”represented but one example. Alsoworthy of mention is the first in aseries of sculptures to be locatedin the county under the “Percentfor Art” scheme which was erectedat the Fairgreen in Ardee inDecember 2001.

Station Masters House, DunleerAn example of integrateddevelopment where Council servicesare brought closer to localcommunities. This beautifullyrestored building houses a fullyintegrated branch library andarea office.

County Development BoardStrategyBased on the partnership theme,this will provide a longer termview in terms of economic, socialand cultural development. Itsassociated structures will providea renewed impetus in terms ofcommunity development.

International InvestmentRecent years have witnessed

considerable advances in the levelof job creation, both from theindigenous and overseas sectors.Business enterprises such asQuantum, Xerox, AFL, ICL and ABBrepresent but a sample of recentinvestment.

Development ControlThe establishment of the planningclinics together with the realignmentof the planning areas to correspondwith the reinvigorated area structurewould prove to be pivotal in termsof customer service as would thescanning of all planning files from1963 to date.

Forward PlanningLocal area plans have been finalisedin relation to all towns and villages.These will provide a plan-led focusparticularly in terms of theresidential, commercial and amenitypotential of all development centres.The strategic plans relating toDundalk and its hinterlandstogether with the North Droghedaenvirons will provide for the orderlydevelopment of these major towns.Similarly, the draft countydevelopment plan which wasrecently completed will providefurther coherence of planningpolicies notwithstanding theextent of development pressureswhich are ongoing as a result ofthe county’s success. In turn, these

43) St. Helena Park - Dundalk

44) Dunleer Area Office & Library

45) Carlingford Public Toilet

46) Xerox Development

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plans will be augmented by otherpolicies which were recentlyadopted including the housing,retail and childcare strategies.

Other major plans included:- Review of County Development

Plan (at draft stage)- Dundalk and Environs Plan

(at draft stage)- North Drogheda Environs Plans

(at predraft stage)

A major joint strategic study ofthe Drogheda area including thefunctional areas of Louth CountyCouncil, Drogheda BoroughCouncil and Meath County Councilhas also been initiated.

Local Area Plans were developedin relation to the followingCategory I Centres:Carlingford, Omeath, Dromiskin,Castlebellingham/Kilsaran,Knockbridge, Annagassan,Tallanstown, Termonfeckin/Baltray,Collon, Clogherhead, Louth,Tenure, Ardee, Tullyallen, Dunleer.The following additional planswere also finalised:Category II Development Centres (32)Retail Strategy, ChildcareStrategy, Industrial Policy andlandscape assessment.

In the course of the period,particular attention was focusedon the difficult problem of

controlling residential developmentin rural areas where a balanceneeded to be struck withenvironmental considerations. Inthis regard, a special task forcecomprising of councillors, officialsand independent architects was setup to oversee a project aimed atimproving the quality and visualappearance of new housingdevelopments in rural areas. Thereport entitled “Building Sensitivelyand Sustainably in County Louth”would prove to be an invaluableguide to planning applicants andwas indeed instrumental in achievinga high standard of development inkeeping with the county’s richarchitectural heritage. Also ofsignificance in this regard was theappointment of a conservationofficer under a joint sharingarrangement with Meath CountyCouncil.

Possibly the most significant singleevent under this heading was theCouncil’s success in the SupremeCourt in a compensation claimrelating to the proposedBallymascanlon Designer Village. Inthis instance, there was a potentialexposure of some u27 million andcertainly it had proved to be a bravedecision to successfully endeavour tooverturn two High Court judgements.

In terms of economic development,the mid to late nineties witnessedconsiderable advances in the level

47) Partnership Court

48) Tullyallen VillageSquare

49) Ardee Castle Interior

50) Tallanstown Old Schoolhouse

51) Building Sensitively and Sustainably in County Louth

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of job creation both from theindigenous and overseas sectorswith many of the county’s multi-national businesses undertakingnew recruitment. This, combinedwith graduate output from DundalkInstitute of Technology and othereducational and trainingestablishments focused on software,languages and IT training, wouldlead to continued jobs growth asthe county moved towards thenew millennium. Indeed, theestablishment of the new Xeroxplant would represent but oneexample of such a trend.

A new marketing strategyinvolving DKIT, possibly to includea regional dimension, is currentlyat inception stage.

The establishment of theCommunity and EnterpriseSection, together with itsassociated structures in the formof the community fora, etc.,would prove to be a keydevelopment in terms of social,economic and cultural renewal.This new approach stressed theimportance of the reform of localgovernment structures particularlyin relation to integration with thevarious local developmentagencies.

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52) Ardee Fire Station