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Economic Crisis and the

Impacts in Historic Cores

in IrelandDECLAN REDMOND, RICHARD WALDRON AND

MARK SCOTT

Key characteristics

1. A comparatively new conservation system

Started in 2000

2. A very severe economic crisis

€30bn taken out of the economy

32,000 public service jobs gone

3. Conservation system not resourced before the

crisis

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Conservation System

Record of Protected Structures and Development

plan

Architectural, historic, archaeological, artistic,

cultural, scientific, technical or social interest

Interiors, exteriors, any land/ buildings within

curtilage and ancillary fixtures and fittings

Works require planning permission

Owners legally obliged to ensure maintenance

Conservation Finance

Direct Grant Assistance

Grants for maintenance/ repair suspended post crash

Heritage Council - €8m p.a (mid 2000s)

Local Authority Conservation Grants

Scheme (€3.7m p.a)

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Case StudiesPopulation at 2011

Limerick 91,000

Waterford 52,000

Drogheda 38,000

Limerick City

•Ireland’s third largest city (pop. 91,454)

•Large medieval town – Englishtown & Irishtown

•Georgian expansion in C18th at Newtown Perry

•Significant vacancy pressure (32%) in historic core

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Limerick City

Development plan

693 structures

4 architectural

conservation areas

Specific policies to preserve street pattern, medieval walls

Limerick City

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Waterford City

•Ireland’s oldest city (est. 914)

•Important medieval centre – some of its wall remains

•Disadvantaged city (unemployment 25%)

•Significant vacancy pressure (26%) in historic core

Waterford City

Council attempting to “utilise the area’s

heritage to maximum advantage in kick

starting regeneration”

Development Plan

Record of Protected Structures (922)

2 Architectural Conservation Areas

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Drogheda, Co. Louth

•Ireland’s largest town

•Founded 911 & strategic defensive site C13th

•Town walls enclosed area of 113 acres

Drogheda

Record of Protected Structures (401)

18 architectural conservation areas

Urban Design Framework Plan for

heritage quarter (2013)

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Drogheda

Drogheda Heritage Quarter

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St Laurence’s Gate Millmount and Buttergate

Economic Crisis and Policy

Responses to Conservation

The Government, local government bodies and

other heritage stakeholders, both public and

private, have identified that our historic built

environment is at risk from a number of factors,

particularly in the context of current economic

conditions. Important elements of built heritage in

both public and private ownership are being lost,

allowed to deteriorate or being irretrievably

damaged. (Department of Arts, Heritage and the

Gaeltacht, 2013)

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Urban Land Use Change

Deconcentration of population,

housing and retail

Loss of key industries

Absence of private

investment

Slow degradation of the urban historic fabric

• Buildings at risk

The Crisis & Impacts on Historic

Cores

Funding schemes

suspended

Public sector staffing

reducitons

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Economic crisis- resources

Record of Protected

Structures

How comprehensive

Role of local politics

Emerging strategies-

targeted investment

Limerick

Opera centre

Cultural and heritage quarter

Movement of third level functions to this quarter

Waterford

Heritage quarter and tourism

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Emerging Strategies-Tax

The Living Cities Initiative

Pilot tax incentive - Limerick & Waterford

To encourage residential owner occupiers into

Georgian dwellings

Unlikely stimulate demand for family living

Unlikely provide net return

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Conclusions

System quite recent and not embedded

Severe economic crisis

Conservation investment will be limited in short to

medium term