Mallow to be test town for regeneration scheme

One of Cork’s largest towns is set to become a test location for the future shaping of Ireland’s regional towns.

A conference, organised by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) will take place in Mallow tomorrow, to investigate the potential for a coordinated approach towards finding new techniques for the regeneration and development of these mid-sized towns over the coming years.

After years of unsustainable and mostly new-build growth — most of it suburban and peripheral development in towns and cities — the RIAI said there was an opportunity now to re-focus on the “sustainable and adaptive re-use” of existing and historic buildings, and to harness that aspect of Irish towns to drive wider regeneration.