Home > Politics > Proposals sought for €2bn Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF)

Proposals sought for €2bn Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF)

Written by Robert McHugh, on 4th Jul 2018. Posted in Politics

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A new €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) has been launched today by Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Mr Eoghan Murphy. 

The fund is one of four such funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) has responsibility for implementing the fund, which has €100m available for expenditure in 2019 and an overall allocation of €550 million allocated to the fund up to the end of 2022.

The fund is intended to drive regeneration and rejuvenation of strategic and underutilised areas within Ireland’s five cities, key regional drivers and other large towns. Minister Murphy has urged eligible applicants to avail of the opportunity through collaboration and making best use of the skills and talent available to design creative and innovative proposals.

The fund will operate on a competitive, bid-based Exchequer grant basis, with proposals being required to demonstrate that they will be:
Innovative and transformational urban regeneration projects
Public-sector led and with the option of community and/or private sector partners
Matched by at least 25% direct funding from other public and/or private sources
A minimum bid of €2m
A catalyst for development that would not otherwise occur 
Likely to leverage significant further public and private sector investment

Speaking this week, Minister Murphy said, "This fund is about backing better and more coordinated planning for future generations in a way that meets the needs of our growing population and economy more sustainably, by re-imagining and turning around the all-too-frequent sight of empty or run-down or poorly utilised areas in the centres of our cities and larger towns." 

He added, "With this fund, we can now choose a better way to live and work and enjoy leisure time and go for real quality of life and make quality places rather than creating more commuting and urban sprawl."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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