Regional strategy (RSES) · Northern and Western Region
Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020–2032
The regional strategy for the Northern and Western Region, including the Galway Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan.
Northern and Western Regional Assembly · January 2020 · 320 pages
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- Galway Metropolitan Area Strategic PlanNorthern & Western Regional Assembly71 3 People and Places
- Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-203272
- REGIONAL GROWTH CENTRES 3.7 Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan3.7(a) Letterkenny Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan3.7(b) Sligo Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan3.7(c) 73
- 3.7(a) Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan CONTEXT AND VISION The National Planning Framework (NPF) identifies Athlone as the Key Regional Growth Centre in the Midlands. It is one of five towns nationally that have been designated as a Regional Growth Centre, on the basis that it functions similarly, but at a different scale to the bigger cities. The NPF has identified the urban structure within the Northern and Western Region to be weak. As a means to addressing this weak urban structure, this RSES targets at least 40% population growth in the Regional Growth Centres of Letterkenny, Sligo and Athlone, with a further 30% population growth target (minimum) targeted for the Key Towns. This RSES provides a Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan for Letterkenny and Sligo and whilst Athlone is substantively within the EMRA area, a joint approach has been taken to identify shared Key Regional objectives for Athlone within the respective Strategies. Notwithstanding, this strategy provides additional context through this strategic plan for Athlone, reflecting that it is a regional driver in the same way as Sligo and Letterkenny are regional drivers for their respective catchments. This RGCSP delivers a roadmap for the continued development of Athlone as a key enabler of regional growth and prosperity across its hinterland. It will be the regional flagship for industry, retail services, educational facilities, tourism and residential development in the Midlands. A new joint unitary plan shall be developed for Athlone by Westmeath County Council and Roscommon County Council which shall add further detail to the objectives of this RGCSP.Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 74Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- Figure 25 below is a depiction of existing administrative boundaries and the CSO boundary for the town based on the 2016 Census. The joint plan will also recognise the potential of Athlone’s community, culture, heritage and landscape to generate an excellent quality of life for future generations. Athlone has direct national connectivity to Dublin and within a one-hour drive is Galway City and towns such as Longford, Mullingar, Maynooth, Portlaoise, Ballinasloe and Roscommon. The proximity of these settlements provides Athlone and its hinterland with potential to develop residential and employment uses which will place and maintain Athlone at the forefront in the goal to develop a modern resilient example of integrated development in 21st century Ireland. Figure 25: Athlone – Spatial DefinitionNorthern & Western Regional Assembly 75Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- STRATEGIC GROWTH AREAS HOUSING AND REGENERATION The RSES for the Eastern and Midlands Region envisages a population target of 30,000 for the entire settlement of Athlone up to 2031. This includes lands within the combined functional area of the two Local Authorities of Westmeath and Roscommon. The preparation and adoption of a Joint Development/ Local Area Plan shall be a priority for Westmeath and Roscommon County Council. In the event that a legislative basis for the preparation of a Joint Urban Area Plan (JUAP) emerges, the Assembly will support its preparation as an alternative that shall implement and provide further detail to the Athlone RGCSP. The plan under agreement of both local authorities is the appropriate mechanism to determine the functional urban area and plan boundary along with the distribution of population which should be generally in proportion to existing population levels in each local authority area, subject to agreement of each local authority and both Regional Assemblies and ensuring that the proportion enables the other minimum population growth targets stipulated for settlements within the RSES for the Northern and Western Region to be achieved. Having regard to the population targets outlined in section 3.4, it will translate to targets of at least 1,500 by 2031 and 1,800 by 2040 for the areas in our region. In determining the extent of the plan boundaries, the following criteria should be considered: g The principle urban area of Athlone, as defined by the CSO defined town boundary, including any existing areas with a dense concentration of population, employment or service provision that is contiguous to it. g Inclusion of those areas where >60% of the workforce commute to the defined principle urban area of Athlone. g The principle urban area population of Athlone should account for at least 75% of the total population of the regional centre plan area. g The existence of environmentally designated areas in the vicinity. g The existence of transport strategies. g The existence of future development opportunities, including phasing and prioritisation of development infrastructure. g Physical features and compact growth. The delineation of Athlone as a regional growth centre should be ambitious and consider incorporating the satellite villages, such as Hodson Bay and Glasson, which may be considered to operate as part of the regional centre and are the nearest fully serviced and zoned areas to the town. These may provide alternative residential and employment options but the main growth driver will remain the principal urban area of Athlone, to support the achievement of compact growth targets with a minimum of 30% of new homes to be built within the existing built-up area, supportedRegional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 76Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- by the planned delivery of existing Local Area Plan (LAP) lands at Curragh, Lissywollen, Cornamagh, Cornamaddy and Monksland/Bellanamullia. REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVE RPO 3.7.1 A cross-boundary Joint Plan shall be prepared by Westmeath County Council and Roscommon County Council in collaboration with the two Regional Assemblies to provide a coordinated planning framework for the future physical, economic and social development of Athlone. The plan shall identify Athlone’s functional urban area and adopt a boundary for the plan area in addition to the identification of strategic housing and employment development areas and infrastructure and investment requirements to promote greater coordination and sequential delivery of serviced lands for development, to realise Athlone’s status as a Regional Growth Centre. The areas outlined above and those residential opportunity areas outlined in Figure 26 have the capacity to deliver on the population growth targets referred to above. The joint plan for the Regional Centre will provide additional refinement and prioritisation on the release of service land. In addition, regeneration areas in St. Mels and Loughanaskin are identified for mixed-use development. In light of promoting and delivering the concept of compact development an objective to prepare a Building Heights Strategy for Athlone would be opportune. It will consider inter alia the appropriate mix and scale of uses as well as residential density. REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVE RPO 3.7.2 Support the regeneration of underused town centre and brownfield/infill lands along with the delivery of existing zoned and serviced lands to facilitate significant population growth and achieve the sustainable compact growth target of 30% of all new homes to be built within the existing built-up urban area. Figure 26: Athlone – Location of Growth AreasNorthern & Western Regional Assembly 77Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- ENTERPRISE AND EMPLOYMENT USES Athlone already has significant administrative, retail, industrial, tourism and services employment. In order to cater for the employment demands arising from increased population targets discussed above, there are four specific areas identified. These are: 1. IDA Park/Garrycastle 2. Blyry 3. Creggan 4. Monksland These areas comprise over 300 Hectares of undeveloped land and rather like the residential lands referred to above a prioritisation process for development and release of serviced areas may need to be considered for inclusion at joint plan level. Athlone has a track record in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telecommunications and ICT. The consolidation and expansion of these areas will build on the success of Athlone. These industries employ upwards of 5,000 people, many of them of high economic value and highly skilled. The qualities of life in Athlone is an attraction that needs to be nurtured and improved to give these industry groups the impetus to attract more highly skilled people to the area. In tandem with these quality of life goals the delivery of the infrastructure projects outlined later in this section is imperative to maintain the towns progress, potential and presence as the lead centre in the midlands. Athlone is a regional growth centre for convenience and comparison shopping. This position has been retained through the economic downturn. There are many town-centre sites that have the potential to maintain the retail status of the town, these include inter alia Station Road, Loughanaskin and Lloyds Lane. A retail strategy for the town has been prepared jointly by Roscommon and Westmeath County Councils in 2019. This will be of benefit in preparing the joint strategy required in the retail planning guidelines. The concept of compact growth and how this will influence future retail facilities is a feature that needs to be considered. The availability of existing floor space especially in vacant premises that could meet much of the future demand. Retail is the largest employment type (25% of jobs) in the town and its importance to the regional economy is therefore significant. REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVE RPO 3.7.3 Promote Athlone as a key location for regional economic development supporting the provision of increased employment through the expansion of the existing enterprise ecosystem in Athlone and creation or expansion of distinct industrial specialisms that have developed through collaboration with the relevant enterprise agencies including the IDA, Athlone Institute of Technology and the Midlands Innovation and Research Centre and support the provision of physical infrastructure and zoned lands to realise the phased delivery of strategic employment lands in central accessible locations.Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 78Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE HEALTH AND EDUCATION Athlone is the only designated regional centre that does not have a hospital or a hospital in close proximity. The provision of a new hospital would complement the status of the town as a regional centre and an attractive urban area in which to live. The Assemblies support an investigation of the feasibility of providing a modern hospital in Athlone which would serve the needs of the over 130,000 population which reside within the one-hour drive catchment. A new primary care centre has operated in Athlone over the last few years, this is an addition to the various GP practices in the town. Athlone also has St Vincent’s Hospital which operates primarily as a care facility for the elderly. Athlone has the leading third-level institute in the midlands, Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). There are over 5000 students (full time and parttime) presently attending/participating in courses. It is not surprising, therefore, in terms of educational attainment, that Athlone contains more graduates as a percentage of the population than other areas in the midlands. AIT serves many of the surrounding counties and outside of Roscommon and Westmeath, students from Offaly, Galway and Longford form a significant portion of the student body. It is a strategic goal of stakeholders to make AIT a technological university, this is fully supported by both Assemblies. AIT is an important community asset, the number of part-time and mature students is indicative of its reach into the community. The institute has research capability in materials, bioscience and software, these are complementary to many of the industries in the Athlone area and is a strength that can be built on. Athlone is also a regional centre for 2nd level education. Nearly 3,000 students attend the four secondary schools in town, recent consolidation resulted in a reduction of schools from five to four. A Local Transport Plan for Athlone should be taken as an opportunity to improve sustainable travel patterns and infrastructure, the various schools throughout the town would be good starting points for the delivery of better and healthier ways of life and travel. Figure 27: Athlone – Education FacilitiesNorthern & Western Regional Assembly 79Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
- TOURISM Athlone is at the centre of Ireland’s latest tourism experience. It is a more than suitable location to begin the exploration of Hidden Heartlands, being at the end of Lough Ree which opens into one of the country’s most scenic waterways and also having its urban heritage and culture which can itself deliver a worthwhile visitor experience. The range and scope of Athlone’s attractions and its links to attractions within its hinterland, for example, Clonmacnoise and Rindoon, to name but two, make it an obvious regional centre for tourism development. This potential is recognised inter alia in the Lakelands Destination Development Plan which as a collaborative strategy is a good example of the way forward in Tourism as well as other aspects of future development including this RSES. REGIONAL POLICY OBJECTIVE RPO 3.7.4 Support the development of a cross-sectoral approach to promote Athlone as a key tourism destination in the midlands, building on Fáilte Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand and the forthcoming Shannon Tourism Masterplan to develop the recreation and amenity potential of waterways including the River Shannon and Lough Ree and the development of a greenway network including the Galway to Dublin Cycleway.Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 80Athlone Regional Growth Centre Strategic Plan 3 People and Places
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