NEARLY 200 delegates from towns all across Ireland attended a
‘Future of Towns’ summit in Dun Laoghaire last week where ambitious plans for a complete revamp of the Southside’s premier seaside town were unveiled.
Entitled
‘The Dún Laoghaire 20:20 vision’, the five-year strategy was commissioned by the Dún Laoghaire BID (Business Improvement District) Company to redesign the high street.
As part of the plans a dedicated shuttle bus and the development of cycle lanes will connect the town to thousands of residents and students located just 15 minutes away from the town centre.
Compiled by retail consultants One-Eighty-Degrees, the strategy would see the town’s high street, Georges Street, divided into four distinctive quarters, each with a separate theme.
The 10-point strategy is designed to be implemented by 2020 and prioritises the revival of the high street as a crucial factor in regenerating the town.
Addressing the conference, the CEO of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, Gerry Dunne, spoke of the importance of linking the high street to the seafront.
“One million people walk the pier in Dún Laoghaire every year,
? he pointed out.
The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is preparing to apply for planning permission by the end of the month for a new generation 390-metre cruise berth to accommodate cruise ships up to 340m in length.
The proposed new berth at Dún Laoghaire Harbour will be one of just two in Ireland that can accommodate these larger cruise liners. At present Cobh is the only port in Ireland that can accommodate these vessels.
The Dún Laoghaire BID Company hailed the plans for a next-generation cruise berth as a game-changer for the area’s economy.
The BID Company, which represents Dún Laoghaire’s 800 plus businesses, says the new berth will provide a
?¬27 million boost to the area and hinterlands that will lead to significant jobs growth.
The Stakeholder Group has the long-term aim of emulating the Copenhagen model of welcoming 800,000 cruise visitors to Dublin per annum, with at least 50 per cent of these coming to Dún Laoghaire. This will create new employment both at construction phase and develop employment and growth in the tourism industry in Dún Laoghaire and surrounding areas.
Speaking at the summit, Derek Hughes, Managing Director of One-Eighty-Degrees, said that despite great work being done on Dún Laoghaire’s waterfront and harbour, unless the high street was
“sorted out
? Dún Laoghaire would continue to attract negative focus.
“Dún Laoghaire needs to offer something different to Dundrum,
? he said
“We need to sort out the high street.
?
Hughes also prioritised safety and security as central to attracting footfall with Chief Superintendent from Dún Laoghaire Garda Station Martin Fitzgerald closely engaging in the research process.
A smart street lighting system with cameras incorporated into the lights would also play a core role in targeting social problems.
Transforming Dún Laoghaire into a smart town is another main priority with free open air Wifi and smart bins already in place.
The 20:20 Vision also recommends introducing a smart parking system, e-signage, developing the smart bins to include footfall counters to support marketing and planning and the introduction of smart lighting.
International retail expert Tim Radley of VM Unleashed told the conference that Dún Laoghaire could not and should not attempt to compete with out of town shopping centres.
“You need a strategy for your town, but don’t lose sight of one shop at a time,
? he said.
“Independent means you lessen competition. In the modern world, there is no reason why independent retailers can’t have excellence. Instead of an independent retail outlet being
‘somewhere you pop into when you are in the town’, you need to make it the reason you go to the town.
“Look at the example of Scrumdiddly’s Ice cream, which recently opened in Dún Laoghaire. Even on a cold wet day – there are queues outside. Because it’s a little special, it has personality, humour, a nice environment, it’s not just bricks and mortar.
?