Ms Orla Murphy:

It is important to remember that in terms of heritage, our towns and urban areas are living examples as heritage as a living thing. For towns to continue to adapt and evolve their heritage, they have to adapt, be lived in and be used as places of work, living, schooling, play and culture. They need all of that. There are incredible resources and skills within local authorities to help reimagine towns and continue their future story. The towns we have seen that have really moved on in the past ten years are the ones that can tell the story of what they want the future of their towns to be. They understand what their unique selling point is and what makes them special.

It is also important to say that all towns are unique and we would not want them all to be the same. They need that tailored, co-ordinated, targeted and imaginative approach as well. That makes them desirable places in which to live and makes people want to take on empty properties. All of these pieces of the jigsaw are completely connected and we need them all to be working. The opportunity is huge.