Report shows five ways Cork can grow

A report has been launched outlining a detailed plan to develop and grow Ireland’s Atlantic Cities regions which includes Cork.

Published recently by the Irish Academy of Engineering, the new report looks at the infrastructural development deemed essential for the sustainable growth of Cork, Waterford, Limerick/Shannon, and Galway as envisaged in the National Development Plan (NDP).

The NDP predicts half of the 1 million additional citizens expected by 2040 would live and work in the Atlantic Cities regions with the remainder in the greater Dublin region. The new report is an update on the academy’s original assessment issued in 2016 and features in-depth analysis and recommendations on investment across areas including energy, broadband, transportation, and water services.

The report also calls for a reform of the development consent system. Commenting on ‘Towards 2040 - The Atlantic City Regions’, Tom Leahy FIAE, President of the Irish Academy of Engineering said: “The 4 Atlantic cities can achieve balanced regional development and energise their catchment regions if this ambitious integrated infrastructure is delivered to support the population growth targets for these cities by 2040.

“The planning system needs urgent reform. Investors need certainty regarding timetables for development consents, which is not possible under the current system,” added Mr Leahy.

Recommendations

Infrastructure investment for the Atlantic City Regions, as recommended by the academy in its report, include:

• Energy: To ensure security and diversity of energy supply, the academy strongly recommends the need for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility. An LNG import terminal in the Shannon Estuary would have the potential to provide strategic storage to back up Ireland’s renewable energy system.

• Broadband: The state should urgently establish a state-owned company to manage and oversee all state telecom/broadband assets, as well as the establishment of a national broadband backhaul network to facilitate the location of data centres close to renewable energy sources in the regions.

• Transport: The N/M20 project and the upgrades to the N24 and N25 must be expedited to improve safety and to form the backbone of a strong inter-city bus network.

• Ports: Timely delivery of infrastructure to support port development is critical and needs to be improved. An example is the N/M28 access road to Ringaskiddy, which has been approved after a lengthy planning and legal process. The construction has recently been deferred, restricting the capacity of the new deep-water facility for at least 8 years and delaying the regeneration of the Tivoli Docklands.

• Flood risk management: The academy recommends that a steering group is established for each of the Atlantic cities, comprising representatives from OPW, Environmental Protection Agency, Irish Water, and the local authorities to prepare an integrated surface water management plan for the cities.

• Water services: The academy recommends increasing the annual budget for Irish Water to support the delivery of the ambitious population growth targets in the NPF and the Atlantic Cities’ draft Development Plans 2022–2028.