Fingal County Council’s non-statutory public engagement on a Public Realm Design for New Street, Malahide

An award-winning integrated design team has now been appointed to develop a public realm design for a pedestrianised New Street in Malahide. Dermot Foley Landscape Architects and stakeholder engagement consultants Connect the Dots will soon begin consultation on a Public Realm Design for New Street, Malahide, on behalf of Fingal County Council and the National Transport Authority.

The first phase of public consultation will begin on Saturday July 9th with an interactive design workshop at Malahide Library. The public will be invited 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. Project architect Dermot Foley says 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.’

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Howard Mahony says that the need for a new design is clear.

‘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. 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.’

This first phase of public consultation will allow the design team to begin working with the community to reimagine New Street as a public space that realises its full potential, while complementing and showcasing the unique and important heritage and beauty of the street and surrounding area, to create an expertly-designed pedestrian area at the heart of the village that is welcoming to all. It will continue to strengthen the sense of community on New Street and will give businesses a chance to thrive by attracting more visitors to the area, whilst encouraging local residents to stay in the village, to shop locally and to make use of the local services.

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly says the Council is looking forward to hearing from the public. ‘The people of Malahide have shown us how much they care about the future of New Street and the wider village. The new public realm designs that will emerge from this consultation will be created with their needs in mind and we want to understand what is required so that we can come up with the very best design possible. I am encouraging everyone to come along to Malahide Library for the workshop on 9 July and to get involved with the consultation in the coming weeks.’

This workshop will gather community feedback to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the facilities and features that are important to the character of New Street and in the wider context of Malahide. During the workshop participants will be invited to draw, describe and discuss how they travel in Malahide, their experience of New Street and how they envision the space in the future while guided by activity sheets and inspiring images. The resulting feedback will be used to inform the design and the future statutory process in late 2022. ­

Director of Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel, David Storey says that the public realm design will be unique to New Street. ‘This expert design team will consider the history of the street, the rich heritage of Malahide, the need for outdoor dining and social space and think about how everyone uses the street taking into account factors such as differing mobility needs, age and the reason they are coming to New Street. Together with the insights gathered in consultation with the public these considerations will help us arrive at a public realm design that meets everyone’s needs.’

Updated information will be added to www.fingal.ie/newstreet throughout the coming weeks.

To sign up for the event please visit https://consult.fingal.ie/en/content/new-street-malahide-public-realm-workshop-saturday-9-july-2022