Concerns over Ballybofey’s €9.8m project raised by Cllr Martin Harley

Fears that the initial €9.8 million costs for a major town centre development in Ballybofey could go up have been aired by local councillor Martin Harley.

He told Monday’s Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District meeting that now that price rises were being experienced in many sectors, he was concerned the initial budget might not be enough.

The SEED Project will see three key transformative and inter-related urban regeneration interventions specifically located in the core town centre of Ballybofey namely the restoration and redevelopment of the Ritz heritage building (former cinema) as a vibrant Enterprise Centre which would have a capacity for 200 people; the redevelopment of an existing public car park to create a new, high quality, multi-functional civic space with canopy shelters, enhanced pedestrian linkages, accessibility and public conveniences (including a Changing Places facility); façade enhancements to the Ballybofey Shopping Centre improving its visual presentation to the new civic space and the development of a two-storey car park with 130-spaces on lands to the rear of the centre together with enhanced pedestrian connectivity via a pedestrian avenue to the east of the complex and via the existing footpath along Chestnut Road.

A computer-generated image of the proposed redevelopment of an existing public car park

Cllr Martin Harley said he had been approached by several businesses and landowners enquiring about what stage the project was at.

“When the SEED Project was announced land prices were cheaper than at present and I was wondering if this could mean the project might cost more than the €9.8 million originally mentioned. Have we got any feedback from the department about this and will there be extra funding available if this is the case?”

He added he knew from talking to the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys last week when she visited the county that she had given €85 million to the county since 2020. She told him announcements were great but cutting the ribbon for openings was what she wanted to see now.

Donna Callaghan from the council's planning section said land prices affecting the project would depend on the feedback from the landowners and that would be examined to see if additional money was required.

The meeting also heard that the Integrated Design Team (IDT), McCabe Architects and a Land Valuer, Avison Young, had been appointed. It was anticipated that the valuer will be commencing negotiations with landowners this month while the IDT will have progressed with design works for the scheme too.