BANTRY residents are being urged by Cork County Council to share their hopes for the future of the West Cork town.
The local authority has launched a survey inviting members of the public to submit their views.
Funding of €10,000 was approved in 2024 by the Department of Rural and Community Development to support the development of a Town Team and to conduct research to identify the key priorities for Bantry.
The aim of the Town Centre First Policy is to create town centres that are viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit, while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.
The aim of this survey is to support the local authority and local community and business interests in prioritising the planning of projects and initiatives as well as developing funding applications to progress them.
Outgoing Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll, said: ‘This survey will play an important role in identifying the key elements of the community’s shared vision for the future of their town. We have seen how valuable the findings of similar surveys in other County Cork towns have been and encourage all in Bantry to participate in this survey.’
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell, added: ‘Cork County Council is committed to supporting the regeneration of Cork towns and villages, and is actively progressing a range of regeneration measures across the county. These initiatives are of great economic and social importance, supporting development in the towns and villages of County Cork.’
A Town Team is typically made up of a group of local residents, businesses, community representatives and other stakeholders who come together to collaborate with the local authority and consider ideas to make their area a better place to live, work and visit.
Issues likely to make the agenda are cruise tourism, the fishing industry and infrastructure. In February plans to bring Bantry’s cruise tourism figures up to 30 vessels a year, bringing 25,000 visitors, were outlined at a business meeting.
It was hoped that the rise in cruise tourism would offset the drop in the number of tankers using Bantry.
Cobh has seen an increase in cruise liners visiting the town from 52 in 2010 to 104 in 2024.
To complete the survey, visit Cork County Council’s website www.corkcoco.ie.
Alternatively, printed copies of the survey are available at Bantry Library.
The survey takes only a few minutes to complete and will be open until Friday July 18th.
Further information can be requested by contacting Cork County Council’s Town Regeneration Office at [email protected] or phone 021 4285317.
