Revealed: masterplan for new transformed midlands city

As a solution to Ireland's future population growth Ballymore Group and its founder Sean Mulryan have developed a masterplan for a new green sustainable city in Athlone to cater for a population of 100,000 by 2040.

Mr Mulryan has shared his vision for the Athlone of 2040, a sustainably planned, 15-minute city with a wide range of stakeholders, including government ministers and opposition spokespeople, and with senior stakeholders across the Irish education sector, industry, state agencies and local authorities.

The plan proposes a transformation of Athlone as a blueprint for sustainable urbanisation, one that could be replicated to provide regionally balanced growth while enabling Ireland’s green transition.

Athlone was identified as the ideal pilot as it has all the fundamental building blocks in place including the university, a town centre with room to expand and enable green transport and the natural resources to allow 90% of its energy to be generated from renewal sources and to support the national energy transition. Its central location in the heart of Ireland and bridging the North-West and Midlands regions also ensure a wide economic benefit.

The masterplan proposes:

· Growing TUS Athlone campus up to 25,000 students as a centre of excellence in green technology

· 5,000-bed eco-friendly student village

· Planning for Athlone’s population to reach 100,000 in the first phases

· 20,000 new zero carbon homes in the first phases

· An enhanced and expanded riverfront city centre

· Road networks tailored for electric driverless buses, EVs, bikes and pedestrians

· New health care facilities, schools, arts and sports facilities

· 5,000 hectares of rewilded wetlands, callows, and rewetting of bogs

Sean Mulryan, Ballymore chairman and chief executive, said: “Over the past seven years, my colleagues and I in Ballymore have been engaging with numerous stakeholders to create a plan to deliver a new green city in the heart of Ireland.

“Our vision could drive genuine balanced distribution of the impending population growth in Ireland and offer a blueprint for sustainable, education-led, employment-driven, and environmentally focused urban development nationwide.

“We are sharing that vision now with wider Irish society, and we will do all we can to help it become a reality. But this plan needs to be driven from the top by government – by this administration and by the successor governments that take office in the years ahead – if it is to come to pass.”

As a strategically vital project that will benefit the whole of Ireland, support will be needed across the political spectrum to enable Athlone to emerge as a new planned green city and a blueprint for future urban development.

Having already shared details of the plan with senior policy makers across many sectors in Irish society, and with a range of local, political and commercial representatives, Mr Mulryan has assembled a highly-capable steering group whose members will bring exceptional leadership and proven track record of impact as they give their time and diverse blend of expertise to liaise with government, state agencies, educational institutions, industry chiefs and others to bring this new green city to life.

The group will comprise Josephine Feehily, Chairperson of the Governing Body of Technological University of the Shannon, and former Executive Chair of the Revenue Commissioners; Adrian Jones, Chairman & Co-Head of Global Private Equity at Goldman Sachs; Joan Kehoe, founder and CEO at Alchelyst; Prof. Brian MacCraith, Senior Advisor to the President of Arizona State University (ASU), and former President of DCU; Jim Meade, CEO at Irish Rail; Linda Mulryan-Condron, Deputy Managing Director at Ballymore and Sean Mulryan, Ballymore Chairman and CEO.

Important stepping stones on the journey to a new green city by 2040 will include:

· Athlone and surrounding areas declared as nationally important strategic, enterprise & biodiversity zones

· Designated opportunity areas to be identified in line with the masterplan – to include; education, residential, enterprise, biodiversity, etc.

· National Planning Framework adopted to enable delivery of residential, workplace, biodiversity and educational infrastructure

· Investment to be secured from private and public sources, including national and EU funds, where available

Mulryan said: "This is a credible blueprint for addressing Ireland's demographic and environmental challenges, decarbonising and stimulating the economy, restoring natural habitats and rebalancing development away from the east coast.

"We believe Athlone can become one of Europe’s leading centres for environmental innovation and green technology. Young people from across Ireland, Europe and the globe will be attracted to a learning and research environment that emphasises STEM, green technologies and life sciences.

"The investment in education will stimulate startup clusters, which in turn will generate high quality jobs and employment opportunities, while the delivery of faster rail links can bring Athlone closer to other cities.

"Athlone will be a transformed city of green spaces, active travel and self‑sustaining neighbourhoods. The vision prioritises nature, green energy, and active travel.

"Natural habitats will be restored across the city and surrounding areas, creating new havens for native species.

"Road networks will be tailored for electric driverless buses, electric vehicles, bikes and pedestrians. The river will become an integral part of local transport alongside new routes for cyclists and pedestrians with services and amenities within a 15‑minute walk or bike ride for all residents.

"The city will generate 90% of its energy from renewable sources. Buildings and infrastructure will be designed to adapt to climate change and to mitigate flooding and overheating. Advanced design will create a sponge city that absorbs, stores and reuses rainwater."