€7.66m for Flower Hill regeneration

Navan's Flower Hill is set for a major overhaul courtesy of a €7.66million grant under the government’s urban regeneration fund announced this morning.

There are now plans to not only completely renovate the street but also create a riverbank walk between Flower Hill and Blackwater Park.

The key artery route out of Navan town was Meath County Council’s signature project application for the second round of funding under the major national regeneration programme.

It will now result in a complete reconstruction of the streetscape, installation of a community and cultural facility, upgrading of frontage on existing buildings and a very exciting riverbank project which will link Blackwater Park to the bottom of Flower Hill.

Welcoming the announcement this morning Senator Shane Cassells stated that “a massive investment injection had been administered into the heart of Navan, which will see Flower Hill totally upgraded.”

“In all my years fighting for Navan this is the single biggest injection of funds into one main area of the town and what this is going to allow us to do is simply transformational.

“Not only going are we going to transform the whole physical street but the creation of a river walkway to Blackwater Park opens up the rivers of this town to the people. This is game changing stuff.

“Add in the fact that the money will allow us develop community facilities on the Hill and crucially that is going to mean this will be a living breathing street again.”

Minister Damien English said the funding will help turn the area around and make it a more vibrant place.

"In my previous role as Minister for Housing and Urban Development in November 2018 we launched the fud to help unlock potential in our towns across the country and to tackle dereliction.

"It is great news that we are being supported so positively again under the URDF. As the largest town in county Meath, it is important that we can continue to grow and develop and I’m very excited about this latest funding which follows on from initial funding in 2018 for the Flowerhill development.

"Based on the applications from Meath County Council, the project will see substantial investment in infrastructure, improving transport and connectivity, quality and location of housing, recreational and cultural facilities.

"The Flowerhill and Abbeylands project includes streetscape enhancement, River Park, Community Building and Building Frontage improvement scheme."

Minister of State English added “The support from URDF for our communities is more vital than ever with the growth in remote and blended working which means more time spent at home locally, reduced time spent commuting as well as a boost for local businesses and jobs”.