Fingal County Council has said it has appointed an “award-winning integrated design team” to develop a redesign for the pedestrianised New Street in Malahide.
The team will lead up non-statutory public consultation on the redesign. It is made up of Dermot Foley Landscape Architects and stakeholder engagement consultants Connect the Dots.
The public consultation start this Saturday July 9 with a design workshop at Malahide Library.
The council said that it is inviting the public to meet with the design team to “help re-imagine a New Street which enhances the heart of Malahide for the benefit of residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”
The council said that workshop participants will be asked to “draw, describe and discuss” how they travel in Malahide, their experience of New Street and how they envision the space in the future and that the resulting feedback will be used to inform the design ahead of time the future statutory planning process which expects to start in late 2022.
Fingal County Council said that it wasn’t to factor in how everyone uses the street, taking into account factors such as differing mobility needs, age and the reason people are coming to New Street.
Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony, said: “Our attitude to public space has evolved in response to the pandemic and there is a new priority placed on the creation of safe, attractive outdoor places that can be enjoyed year-round by everyone.”
He added: “New Street has the potential to provide a true centre for the community of Malahide where facilities are accessible and welcoming to all and it is hoped that the public come forward and share their insight with the team as the design process gets underway, as it is their unique experience of the village that will help the team deliver an excellent design.”
Dermot Foley, project architect, said: “Meaningful engagement is a key aspect of the project. We’re looking to hear from everyone about how they use New Street and how they want it to look and feel. We are encouraging people of all ages to join us for the workshop and get involved in the future vision for New Street.”
IMAGE: File image.