Athlone to be Ireland’s first ‘green city’ by 2040

The €5 billion plan identifies Athlone as the remedy to Ireland’s growing population and includes the redevelopment of 5,000 hectares of land.

The plan could see the town of 22,000 people more than quadruple its population to 100,000 through a “transformative approach to sustainable urban development”. Developed by the Ballymore Group, the blueprint seeks to transform the midlands town into a “new, sustainable city”.

Details of the plan have been shared with government ministers, opposition spokespeople, and senior figures from industry, state agencies, and the education sector alongside a range of local commercial and political representatives.

The masterplan

The plan proposes the expansion of the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) from its current 14,000 student body to 25,000 students, with a focus on green technology. This will be accompanied by a 5,000-bed eco-friendly student village. To enable population growth, 20,000 new zero-carbon homes will be built alongside new schools, arts and sports facilities, and a new hospital.

To encourage decarbonised transportation, infrastructure for electric driverless buses, pedestrians, bikes, and electric cars will be provided.

The plan would see Athlone transformed into “a city of green spaces, active travel, and self-sustaining neighbourhoods”, with natural habitats being restored and infrastructure designed to adapt to the changing effects of climate change.

Ballymore is hoping to secure private and public investment for the plan which it describes as a “credible blueprint for addressing Ireland’s demographic and environmental challenges”.

In a statement, the company explained that Athlone was “identified as the ideal pilot” for Ireland’s green transition.

“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 per cent of its energy to be generated from renewable sources and to support the national energy transition.”

The property developer hopes that the plan for Athlone is “one that could be replicated to provide regionally balanced growth”.

Not a ‘crazy idea’

Sean Mulryan, founder of the Ballymore Group, told The Business Post that he had to convince others that the Athlone masterplan was not a “crazy idea”, explaining that “there is nothing here that has not been done before… It is just that it is time Ireland did it, and we have an opportunity”.

He stated: “This is for Ireland and for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Ireland.”