‘Hub town’ Mallow nets €2m funding

More than a decade after its designation as a “hub town”, Mallow is to get special funding to reflect the status.

The town is set to benefit from over €2m as a hub town under the designated urban centre grant scheme.

The Fianna Fáil-led government announced in 2002 that, under the terms of the national spatial strategy, it had identified hub towns and gateway cities which would receive funding to improve their infrastructure and aid growth.

The Mayor of County Cork, Cllr John Paul O’Shea (Ind), pointed out that Mallow didn’t receive one cent since the announcement.

Thirteen years on, and under the designated urban centre grant scheme, €26m is to be made available to 13 counties in the southern and eastern regional area.

Mallow, along with three gateway cities (Cork, Waterford, and Limerick/Shannon) and five hub towns (Ennis, Kilkenny, Wexford, Tralee, and Killarney) will benefit from the monies.

The scheme, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and local authorities, was launched by the minister for state with responsibility for planning, Paudie Coffey

“This is an ideal opportunity for the town of Mallow to finally benefit financially from its designation as a hub town,” he said.

Mr O’Shea said: “Mallow has not benefited one bit since it was designated as a hub town back in 2002. In fact, it has been prevented from accessing other funding avenues such as Leader funding due to that status, thus losing out on many development opportunities.”

He said projects already to mind include redevelopment of Mallow Town Hall as an interpretive centre and theatre, the transformation of the recently purchased Town Park, and development of the grounds of Mallow Castle and Mallow Boardwalk.