Donegal County Council is inviting the public to help shape the next stage in the plans for the reuse of the old Courthouse in Letterkenny by coming along to a drop-in public consultation event on this coming Tuesday, February 18th.
The Council aims to regenerate the former Courthouse building as a tourist attraction and community asset, and architectural plans have been developed to being the project to Part 8 planning consent stage by the end of March.
The Part 8 Planning Process covers projects which the council itself is progressing, and an integral element of it is the input of stakeholders and wider public.
In this case, Donegal County Council says the input of public is critical in shaping the project further, and exploring the options for the architecture of the building and how the spaces can be used to their maximum potential.
The old courthouse will be open from 3pm to 8pm on Tuesday, with the architects and the council’s Regeneration Team available.
Mayor Cllr Gerry McMonagle says this is the 3rd public consultation on the project, with the intention of using the old Courthouse as a Gateway to Discover Donegal.
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Council release in full –
Donegal County Council is inviting the public to help shape the next stage in the plans
for the reuse of the old Courthouse in Letterkenny by coming along to a drop-in public
consultation event on Tuesday 18th February 2025.
With the support of €199,969 in THRIVE funding by the Northern and Western Regional
Assembly through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Northern and Western
Regional Programme 2021-2027, the Council aims to regenerate the former Courthouse
building as an exciting tourist attraction and as a great asset for the Letterkenny community.
THRIVE support has enabled the appointment of Robin Lee Architects to develop the
architectural plans for the project and bring it to Part 8 planning consent stage in Q1 of 2025.
As part of the planning consent process, the input of the stakeholders and wider public is critical
in shaping the project further and in exploring the options for the architecture of the building and
how the spaces can be used to their maximum potential.
To find out more and take part, the public are invited to drop into the old Courthouse, Letterkenny
on Tuesday 18th February 2025, anytime between 3pm-8pm where the consultancy team led by
Robin Lee Architects and the Regeneration Team of Donegal County Council will be available.
Robin Lee, Managing Partner at Robin Lee Architecture said, “we are looing forward to working
with the Council, the community and all stakeholders to deliver this exciting project to the
highest standards of completion in line with community expectation and the Councils
regeneration ambitions.”
Cllr Gerry McMonagle, Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District said, “This is the 3rd
public consultation on the project to reuse the old Courthouse as an amazing tourist attraction
that will act as a Gateway to Discover Donegal. At this consultation, we are especially interested
in the wider community seeing the architectural options for the building and its spaces and to
hear the publics ideas about opportunities for dual or multi use of some of the spaces. I am
encouraging the public to come along to the Courthouse on Tuesday 18th February to hear more
and help to shape the project.”
Liam Ward, Director of Service, Community Development & Planning Services said, “I am
delighted that the Courthouse project has received the support of the THRIVE programme
through NWRA which is enabling the next step in securing planning consent. In line with the
THRIVE programme, we are particularly engaged in implementing the EU Bauhaus principles of
beauty, inclusion and sustainability in this project which will drive the project towards delivering
a best practice example and a superb asset for Letterkenny and its community.”
The arrangements for the drop-in event are:
When: Tuesday 18th February 2025
anytime between 3pm-8pm
Where: The old Courthouse, Letterkenny
Find out more at: www.bit.ly/4hsCO9i or scan the QR code
THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union throug
