Athlone’s Planning Permission for Ireland’s First Green City
Struggling with Ireland’s housing crisis? Athlone eyes planning permission to become the nation’s premier green city by 2040.
Ballymore Property Group’s CEO, Seán Mulryan, leads the ‘Athlone Green City Vision’. This eight-year project aims to grow Athlone’s population from 23,000 to between 50,000 and 100,000 residents. Mulryan presented details to Roscommon County Council, highlighting infrastructure solutions for national challenges, especially Dublin’s pressures.
The vision expands Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Athlone campus to serve 25,000 students, including a 5,000-bed eco-friendly student village. It prioritizes green technology education to foster innovation hubs and jobs. Councillors praised the alignment with regional growth.
A core element involves planning permission for 20,000 zero-carbon homes, plus new health, education, arts, and sports facilities. The city would run on 90% renewable energy, with infrastructure for electric driverless buses, EVs, bikes, and pedestrians. Enhanced train links to Dublin and the west, plus 100km of cycleways, support active travel.
Nature integration features 5,000 hectares of rewilded wetlands, callows, and rewetted boglands around Athlone. Advanced ‘sponge city’ designs manage rainwater, mitigate flooding, and adapt to climate change. For every developed hectare, five hectares receive sustainable treatment, balancing growth with ecology.
Athlone’s central location, River Shannon access, existing transport, and university make it ideal. Mulryan formed a steering group with government officials, agencies, educators, and industry leaders. Discussions at senior government levels show support; Environment Minister Darragh O’Brien deems it meritorious but urges local council action.
Roscommon and Westmeath councillors unanimously backed the plan. They see it as a relief valve for overcrowded cities like Dublin and Galway, boosting Midlands economies. Invitations from figures like Cllr Larry Brennan facilitated presentations, with calls for state backing to proceed.
Key proposals include:
- Population doubling via sustainable housing schemes.
- Riverfront city centre expansion for 15-minute access to services.
- Potential An Bord Pleanála decision on large-scale flood-risk development and housing scheme approval.
- Renewable energy and material contravention considerations for rapid build-out.
- Environmental impact focus through rewilding and green infrastructure.
The project positions Athlone as a European green tech leader, generating wealth while delivering social and environmental gains. Ballymore views Roscommon engagements as milestones, seeking collaboration for next phases.
Originally reported in RTE.ie on Sun, 22 Feb 2026 07:31:38 +0000. Full story
