Communities united in survival

There is life outside the ever-growing conurbations, but locals must share and stand together, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Chambers Ireland has produced a report outlining a series of proposals aimed at reviving the country’s town centres, many of which have been laid waste by a combination of poor planning, overdevelopment, the recession, local taxes and charges.

Across these islands, an American-style ‘hollowing out’ of smaller urban centres has been taking place, with the advent of retail parks on the outskirts and the growing predominance of larger towns and cities, not to mention the growing threat from online businesses.