Offaly County Council and Clara Town Team secure Town Centre First Funding of €50,000 for former Co-Operative building in Clara.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD has announced Clara Town Team’s success in partnership with Offaly County Council in its application to secure €50,000 under Measure 3 of the Project Development Measure for Clara.
This funding will be used to engage the services of an architect led design team that will deliver a detailed proposal and planning permission for the refurbishment and conversion of a strategically located but now derelict, former co-operative building located at River Street, Clara into a multi-purpose community space.
Offaly County Council Chief Executive, Anna Marie Delaney welcomed the announcement saying “This is fantastic news and is a follow on from the Building Acquisition Measure funding received under the 2023 Town & Village Renewal Scheme to purchase the Co-Op. This funding will support detailed design, planning, procurement, professional fees, assessments and other development costs. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of Clara Town Team and the continuous work they are doing to bring the Town Centre First plan objectives to fruition.”
Speaking after the announcement, Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr. Tony McCormack said, “This is excellent news for the town of Clara. It will bring the building one step closer to becoming a multi-purpose community space and bringing a vacant and derelict building back into use.”