THE SLIGO CHAMPION Wednesday, August 2nd, 2000 Page 20

New West city idea to be
included in national spatial strategy

By ORLA HEARNS

The Minister for the Environment, Mr. Noel Dempsey T.D., has indicated that the Government has agreed to include proposals to develop a new, purpose built city in the West of Ireland, bordering Co. Sligo, in their National Spatial Strategy.

The announcement was made in correspondence to Mr. William A. Thomas, who first initiated the proposals for the new city which he outlined in a special paper presented to the Minister for Science Technology and Commerce, Mr. Noel Treacy T.D., in April.

Since then, support for the proposals has mounted, with spokesperson for the Western Development Commission, Bishop Flynn publicly backing the initiative and each of the country’s major political parties responding positively.

The National Spatial Strategy is a broad planning framework for the entire country. It will identify indicative development patterns for different areas and set down indicative policies for the location of different types of development in the future. It will also identify and build on the dynamics of the Irish urban system, the link between urban centres of different sizes and the relationship between urban and rural areas.

Central thrust

The strategy will form the central thrust of Government policy to achieve more balanced regional development. It will provide a framework within which sectoral policy in areas such as enterprise development, tourism services and agriculture can be reviewed and implemented in future in a way which achieves more balanced development. It will also provide a basis for future decision making on major investment in infrastructure.

However, Mr. Thomas has responded cautiously to the Government's announcement, stressing that he would accept nothing less than a definite mandate facilitating the detailed planning and development of a purpose built city to end traffic congestion and housing shortages throughout the country and correct the developmental imbalance between and east and west of Ireland.

The Government's support for the new city proposals by including them in the National Spatial Strategy is somewhat overshadowed by Fine Gael's launch of a strategy to develop eight cities around established regional towns throughout Ireland, including Sligo.

However, Mr. Thomas is also critical of these proposals and has pointed out that the towns earmarked by Fine Gael as future cities simply could not support the kind of infrastructure required and the population they would attract.

"This country is so full of bureaucracy that the simple voice of reason can no longer be heard. Ireland is clearly lacking in effective leadership", he said.

Mr. Thomas explained: "The city which we envision will cover an area of thirty square miles, accommodating at least 100,000 inhabitants, with a down town area of five square miles and a city centre plaza. Ideally, it would be located in the centre of the West of Ireland, about 10 miles from Knock International Airport, bordering the counties of Sligo, Galway, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon and Westmeath.”

Transport network

Future proofed expert layout and design will facilitate the installation of an adequate transport network facilitating road, air and rail access, comfortable, spacious and aesthetic housing and a comprehensive infrastructure including a major hospital, universities, schools, churches, sporting and recreational facilities, all of which will meet modern day and future population demands.

Mr. Thomas' proposals note that the West's only city, Galway, is already catering to capacity and argues that the only real option for an Irish Government truly in favour of righting the country's disproportionate development is the creation of a purpose built new city, supported by the relocation of at least three Government departments, which, together with the lucrative spin offs from the recently discovered Corrib gas field, soon to be piped on shore at the west coast, will provide significant employment and a buoyant local economy.

Mr. Thomas observed: "Ireland's population has already increased to 3.7 million and in ten years time it will have reached 4.5 million. We can't keep catering to the demands of this population by adding suburbia after suburbia. This proposed city is not a question of choice, it is a necessary mandate".

He welcomed the progress his proposals had made by being approved for inclusion in the National Spatial Strategy just three months after their initial launch but stressed that he would be seeking a more definite commitment to the proposals.