City gets multi-million facelift

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Residents and business people in Armagh city are being urged to make their voices heard on a multi-million improvement project.

Assembly Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie said the £6m project would create a "distinctive, vibrant and multi-functional city centre".

Work on the project, which will modernise and transform 11 city centre streets, will begin in January 2008.

Plans will be on display in the Mall Shopping Centre, Armagh, until Friday.

The regeneration problem is being hailed as "the most wide-ranging public realm project the city has ever seen".

'Progress'

Welcoming the start of the final consultation, Ms Ritchie said it would make the city more appealing to residents, businesses and tourists.

"My department is the primary funder for this extensive project and I am delighted to see the progress made so far," she said.

"I urge the public to have their say on these important proposals which have the potential to regenerate Armagh and reshape the city centre for generations to come."

City council spokesperson Sharon O'Gorman said the council was contributing £1.3m to the project with the "aim of addressing many of the issues our ratepayers have highlighted to us over the years".

Ms O'Gorman said the scheme would transform the city centre into "a high-quality, pedestrian-friendly environment" and ease congestion by reducing through traffic and making provision for parking, loading and deliveries.