Public consultation held on Castlebar regeneration masterplan that will ‘enhance rather than transform’
A public consultation took place on Wednesday evening for the Mall Regeneration Masterplan in Castlebar.
The main aim of the consultation was to gather public feedback on how the Mall should develop.
Over 100 submissions have been received so far, highlighting concerns such as uneven footpaths, damage caused by tree roots, ongoing drainage and maintenance issues, and the need for upgraded public lighting.
The design team leading the project includes Head of Castlebar Municipal District David Mellett and architect Niall Taylor of Taylor McCarney Architects.
They outlined the challenges facing the Mall and the main areas the plan will address.
Key priorities identified at this stage include resolving drainage problems, improving footpath accessibility, and planting a new line of native trees.
"This is about enhancement rather than transformation," Mr Mellett said. "It is about protecting the character while addressing some very practical issues."
"The next step is developing a draft design that reflects those comments, and we will have a consultation on that," he added.
The project team has placed particular emphasis on future-proofing the area while respecting its historic and cultural significance.
Both Mr Taylor and Mr Mellett acknowledged commentary on social media where residents expressed concerns that the project might drastically change the aesthetic of the Mall.
"We are conservation architects, we are not trying to put Eyre Square here. We know this is always going to be a parkland and we want to protect the amenity value of the Mall," Mr Taylor said.
"There's talk of plazas, and they have merit - but the extent and the location of those have not been determined," he said.
Mr Taylor noted that while developments like a plaza could have a place in the project, "before you ever get to that stage, there are a whole range of simple items that need to be fixed."
"Fix the things that are broken before you get to the big ticket items", he added.
The €1 million budget will help implement the foundational work needed to keep the Mall functional, including making spaces and footpaths accessible, improving drainage, and planting a new line of trees.
Other improvements suggested by the public included increasing seating and tables, adding more bins, draining the main green area, burying overhead power lines, and widening the Mall.
The Mall has hosted many events over the years and remains an important asset to the town.
Cllr Ger Deere attended the consultation and said, "The Mall is a sacred spot in Castlebar, it is a great focal point. Other towns would give their eyes to have a facility like this right in the centre of the town. It's been here for generations, and it needs upgrading, but within reason."
Cllr Deere emphasised the importance of maintaining the Mall's aesthetics and highlighted its significance to the local community due to the history of the area.
"We can't lose that, but if we don't do some upgrading on it, it will deteriorate and become unusable," he said.
"We have to do this tastefully, and the architects here have a vested interest in Castlebar - they are from Castlebar.
"No one wants to change the Mall, but they do want to save it for future generations," he added.
The Mall Regeneration Masterplan is part of a wider regeneration scheme of Castlebar town centre, funded through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
The broader scheme also includes restoring the Imperial Hotel as a business innovation hub, redeveloping the Military Barracks into a college campus in partnership with the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB), and residential regeneration projects on Ellison Street, Barrack Street, and Newtown.
Designs for the Ellison Street properties have been finalised, with Part Eight documents ready for publication and tender documents prepared.
Regarding the Imperial Hotel, a design team has been appointed for its redevelopment into a business innovation hub.
The project is described as being in its "early days," with most work currently focused on design development surveys, and an emerging design is already in place.
The project aims for Part Eight approval next summer, with construction expected to begin in the first half of 2027.
The sale of the Military Barracks to MSLETB was approved at the November meeting of Mayo County Council. It will see the Barracks be transformed into a state-of-the-art education facility which will cater for over 1,000 students.
Mr Taylor stressed that the design team is not looking at the Mall in isolation but at the surrounding spaces, including the Imperial Hotel, the Barracks, and the Ellison Street backlands, and how all these elements will "interconnect and enhance" the town.
The public consultation for the Mall regeneration is also available online, and submissions can be made until 5pm on Thursday, December 4.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.