By Christy Parker | Photos By Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Main street property owners in Youghal are to be encouraged to embrace a ‘heritage-friendly’ colour scheme when painting their buildings. The initiative will provide owners with a range of colour options from a heritage catalogue and offer free advice on colour and related architectural issues. ‘Heritage’ colours are deemed to include hues that exclude garishness and contribute a ‘sophistication’ effect.

Outlining the plan at the March Town Council meeting, Town Manager Patricia Power said it aimed to “bring a freshness and vitality” to the street while simultaneously binding the town together so it can be read as a single entity. Entire sections of street will be “refereed” to ensure appropriate blending and to avoid over-duplication of tones.

In a power presentation, Town Architect Sean McLoughlin outlined specific guidelines. As well as walls being painted from catalogue, these included painting gutters white or black, mouldings and window surrounds to be off-white or lighter than the wall and window frames to be white. “Quality traditional shop fronts, signage and colour will be encouraged, with corporate identity permitted where “tasteful.” Stone sills will not be painted and brick or stone-faced buildings may be cleaned and pointed.

Ms. Power said all the council’s “powers of persuasion” would be used to persuade ‘stubborn’ owners and its ‘statutory powers employed in instances of dilapidated property jeopardising the overall effect.

Town Clerk Liam Ryan says funding from old development contributions may be used to help finance the initiative. The council proposes to appoint a preferred paint supplier to stock the heritage range. Provision would be made to assist financially restrained property owners to comply..

Once the finer details of the plan are finalised, the council intend to colour a number of properties as prim and prime examples to encourage participation. Details will appear in the local press. Town Councillors have unanimously approved the idea.

East Cork Journal