The Irish Examiner, 27th April 2000, page 2

Proposal to make Knock a city

by Caroline O'Doherty

PROPOSALS for a new city have been drawn up to act as a hub for the west.

The purpose-built city, to be home to 250,000 people, is de-signed to alleviate congestion and housing shortages in the country's major urban areas, while also serving as a catalyst for western development.

Earmarked for a green field site close to Knock Airport in Co. Mayo, the city would be self-supporting, with jobs in the service industry providing its main commercial base.

The plan is the brainchild of a group of Galway-based pro-fessionals who say they are fed up with successive govern-ments' piecemeal approach to developing the west.

Headed up by businessman William Thomas of Rockwell Shipping and John McMyler, engineer with Galway County Council, the group believe their proposal will test the commitment of the Government to the region.

"It will take a quantum leap by the Government. They will have to think big. But it's the only way to prevent the migra-tion which is destroying the west," said Mr Thomas.

The proposal was presented to Minister of State at the De-partment of Science and Edu-cation, Noel Treacy, last week and copies have also been sent to the Council for the West and other organisations con-cerned with development in the region. The authors are calling on the Government to run an open international com-petition for architectural designs to build on the basic blueprint they have provided. The blueprint envisages the city deriving its power from the new oil and gas pipelines due to come ashore on the Mayo coast in the coming years, and using Knock Airport, the upcoming Athlone motorway and the Boyle-Sligo and Ballyhaunis-Castlebar rail links to meet its main transport needs.

Employment would be created through the relocation of three Government departments as well as a hospital and a new University of Connacht. Central to the structure of the city would be wide streets and roadways along with plentiful green space to cater for pedes-trians and motorists.

Mr Thomas admitted the city would cost billions of pounds, but said it made far greater financial sense than the massive Spencer Dock development currently under consideration in Dublin a city which he said was designed for the ass and cart.