£11.6m to help NI town centres bounce back from impact of Covid restrictions

The further £11.6m is the second tranche of money being provided from various Stormont departments and follows the initial grant of £6m.

The Department for Communities’ (DfC) is providing £5.6m while £5m is from the coffers of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

A further £1m has been provided by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

Announcing the latest funding, Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said she is committed to the regeneration town and city centres, which is more important than ever “as they go through one of the most challenging times in our history”.

She said: I introduced the Covid-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme as a practical response to the needs of businesses who are trying their best to provide a safe operating environment for them and their customers.

“The further £11.6m I am allocating to councils will enable new initiatives to be introduced, such as creating parklets, cycle paths and pedestrian walkways, carrying out small environmental improvements, and opening up vacant properties for temporary uses. “This is in addition to essential measures such as hand sanitizer stations, screens and innovative improvements such as the provision of click and collect facilities for shoppers funded from tranche one.

“I fully appreciate that in this changing environment and emerging situation that businesses need our support and this is one way in which the Executive is doing that.”

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots said the impact of the pandemic on rural towns and villages as a retail destination has been unprecedented in recent decades.

He added: “I am delighted that this additional tranche of funding is being used to deliver more medium term interventions which will provide a safe environment for visitors, shoppers and workers within villages and rural towns.”

The Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon said her department is a strong supporter of promoting active travel and helping communities adapt to what has now become “the new normal”.

Ms Mallon said: “I want solutions and interventions to be developed in partnership with local communities so that people benefit from any changes – driving change from the ground up rather than from the top down.”

She added: “I am pleased to confirm that my department will commit £5m to the Covid Revitalisation Programme to support the development of a number of initiatives including projects which will make it easier and more inclusive and attractive for people to access shops and services in their town or city centre by enabling them to make more short journeys by walking, wheeling and cycling rather than travelling by car.”