COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, March 26, 2018

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the CEO if he is aware of the recent call for "a Strategic Enterprise Vision for Cookstown to bring jobs to Tallaght Town Centre for the next 20 years"; will he detail his response in respect of the matter and confirm actions open to him and will he make a detailed statement?"

REPLY:

"Cookstown Industrial Estate has been the focus of significant attention from the Economic, Enterprise & Tourism Development Department in recent years with a number of local initiatives aimed at improving the condition, investment and employment potential of the area which have been progressed under the Dublin Regional Enterprise Strategy and the Dublin Regional Action Plan for Jobs.

Under the Business Support Fund, two significant area improvement works schemes were undertaken with footpath, landscaping, kerbing, fencing and accessibility works carried out at Cookstown Enterprise Centre and at Old Belgard Road/Cookstown Road, with a further potential project being explored and progressed for Fourth Avenue.

Grants have also been approved under the Business Support Fund for the re-development of vacant units for occupancy by microenterprises in Cookstown along with several additional grants for external sigange and improvement works to individual units.  These supports remain available to owners/occupiers wishing to upgrade or redevelop units in the area.

The Council also funded a significant study of the ownership, occupancy and condition of the various vacant sites in the County with particular emphasis on Cookstown and this project has resulted in ongoing contact with a group of owners/occupiers in Cookstown through the Sustainable Business Programme that will allow ongoing engagement on the strategic development of the area.

In addition, a feasibility study examining the potential for enterprise/innovation space in the County is exploring potential options in Tallaght including Cookstown as well as otehr areas in the County and will be presented to the Economic, Enterprise & Tourism SPC in May.

The Tallaght Local Area Plan will provide the framework for the future development of the area within which enterprise and employment opportunities will be faciliated by the Local Enterprise Office and the Council and will be complemented by the revised Rates Vacancy refund of 75% introduced in the Council's 2018 Annual Budget which will act as a disincentive for ongoing vacancy of units in Cookstown."