Mid-West Area Strategic Plan

Overview

The four Local Authorities in the Mid-West Region, which includes Limerick City Council (as the lead authority), Clare County Council, Limerick County Council and North Tipperary County Council and working with the Mid-West Regional Authority, have prepared a Draft Strategic Plan which examines the future for the Mid-West Region in terms of economic, spatial and transport planning.

Following Public Consultation in February and March 2012, the draft MWASP document has been updated to take account of the views of those who responded during the public consultation process. The MWASP document will be presented to the four Local Authorities in the Mid-West Region during June and July 2012, and the updated document will be made available on this website once it has been approved by the Local Authorities and the Regional Auhtorities.

The Draft Mid-West Area Strategic Plan (MWASP) was prepared to secure the following overall objectives:

1.  Prioritisation of investment in the Mid-West region
2.  Strengthening the position of the Limerick/Shannon Gateway as the core of the Region. The promotion  of the existing city and environs (the metropolitan city) as the economic driver for the region is fundamental;
3.  Strengthening the Limerick/Shannon Gateway, Nenagh and Ennis as the Hub in terms of population growth;
4.  Create and support a well defined hierarchy of settlement, as defined in the Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022, which will support the development of a series of rural economic nodes such as Newcastle West, Thurles and Roscrea
5.  Deliver the required transport infrastructure to meet the Plan objectives
6.  Optimise the organisational structure within the Region to facilitate the delivery of the Plan objectives
7.  Provide economic review and direction for the Region.

The MWASP is a strategy for the future development for a regional population of 500,000 that has been set in a 20 year time frame. An outcome of the strategy is a requirement for a significant public transport investment (€340M from 2012 – 2032), excluding the cost of land, buses or locomotives.

The Strategy also outlines the strategic requirement for a series of road projects, both National and Non-National, to help achieve better connectivity and thus competitiveness of the Region.

In compliance with Article 12(1) and Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations (S.I. No. 435 of 2004), an Environmental Report has been prepared in conjunction with MWASP which assesses, at a strategic level, the likely significant environmental impacts of implementing the Draft Plan.

The Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary, along with the Draft Strategic Plan (in accordance with Article 13 of S.I. No. 435 of 2004) are available on this website.

The Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary, along with the Draft Strategic Plan are also available for inspection during business hours at the offices of each of the four Local Authorities and the Mid-West Regional Authority:

1.  Limerick City Council, Planning Department, City Hall, Merchants Quay, Limerick City
2.  Limerick County Council, Planning Department, County Hall, Dooradoyle, Limerick
3.  Clare County Council, Planning Department, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare
4.  North Tipperary County Council, Planning Department, Limerick Road, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
5.  Mid-West Regional Authority, Friar Court, Abbey Street, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary

The documentation may also be accessed on the following websites:

1.  Mid West Regional Authority website - see links above

2.  www.mwasp.ie

                                    

       

                 

         

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