Athlone Town Mayor, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke, has formally welcomed the decision to expand the criteria pertaining to the Shop Front Enhancement Scheme to include canopies and awnings.
“I am pleased that we are now in a position to expand the Shop Front Enhancement Scheme to now include canopies and awnings as part of shop enhancement projects.
“As Chairman of the Council’s Economic Committee in 2018, I was very pleased to introduce and launch the ‘Shop Front Enhancement Scheme’ which has since worked to great effect right across the county.
“Effectively, the scheme provides funding support for shop and business owners to encourage them to rejuvenate and enhance the front of their premises. The Council refunds 50 percent of the spend up to a total spend of €5,000 (€2,500 coming from the Council ).
“Until now the scheme covered painting, improvement works to windows and woodwork, painting and attractive signage, but the first time now the grant will also include awnings and canopies.
“Now with a greater emphasis on outdoor dining, we are keen to incentivise the installation of suitable canopies and awnings, particularly in the hospitality sector. This should come as a welcome boost to the beleaguered hospitality industry when they do get an opportunity to open their doors again.
“Of course, there is an application process, it is not complicated or onerous, but the applicant must explain the plans they have and the works they plan to undertake. More information is available on the Westmeath County Council website: www.westmeathcoco.ie,” Cllr O’Rourke stated.
Affordable Housing
Meanwhile, the Town Mayor has welcomed a decision taken by Government to publish details of an affordable housing scheme in the coming months.
“I have always been a very strong proponent of a fair and well structured scheme that targets those who currently find themselves in ‘no-mans-land’ in terms of home ownership.
“Far too often I meet individuals and couples who work hard, have good jobs but are not earning enough to secure a bank mortgage for a standard family home.
“For ten years the state has talked about implementing an affordable housing scheme. Within months of taking office, Minister Darragh O’Brien has set in train an initiative that could be key to unlocking the housing emergency in which we still find ourselves.
“State owned land is at last being used to develop social housing, likewise local authority land will be the target for this scheme and I have been reassured by Westmeath County Council that when the Affordable Housing Scheme is launched later this year, we will be in a position to develop affordable schemes in the Athlone area with the Council already working to identify suitable sites and land banks,” Cllr O’Rourke concluded.
