Report may recommend key economic corridor for west

The development of a key western economic corridor encompassing Galway and Limerick, as well as the development of Athlone as a midlands "gateway", is likely to be among the recommendations of the National Spatial Strategy, The Irish Times has learned.

The western economic corridor suggested as a counter-balance to the development of Dublin was among the public submissions on the strategy, the deadline for which is today.

These final submissions from the public will now be studied by the Spatial Planning Unit at the Department of the Environment, whose report on the creation of new growth areas will be submitted to Government before the end of the year.

While the Government is likely to emphasise the strategy's role in the creation of development plans for the entire State, particularly in the months before a general election, determining where the real growth will take place "will take about three minutes" according to a source close to the Government's Expert Advisory Group. The group is overseeing the process.

The Irish Times has also been told by Government sources that it has been "surprised" at changes to a similar strategy, Shaping Our Future, which has been devised over the past four years in Northern Ireland.

The changes, which were described as significant, reflect increased interest in the North in cross-border economic co-operation.

They include the designation of Derry as a development centre for the island's northwest, together with the designation of Enniskillen and Newry as "inter-regional gateways".

Separate land use and transportation studies in Galway city and county, and Cork city and county have pointed to the possibility of creating a significant travel-to-work area. This would be based on the existing Galway / Ennis / Limerick freight line and development of a fast link between Limerick and Cork city.

Shannon Airport is also a significant attraction to the development of the western corridor.

A new commuter rail link to Cork city from Mallow, with the possibility of extending to Youghal, will open up similar development potential in east Cork.

In Dublin, the Spatial Planning Unit is said to be pleased with the understanding, contained in the submissions, of the importance of access, good road, rail and public transport in identifying key development areas.

A key issue is "critical mass" of population that would sustain growth.

The town of Athlone has been identified as having almost 200,000 people within a one-hour drive-to-work time.

This would allow Athlone to emerge as a gateway through which economic development could flow to the towns of Tullamore, Mullingar and Roscommon.

Rural dwellers in west Offaly and elsewhere would benefit from the proximity of jobs.

The creation of a centre in the midlands was identified as vital by the submissions.

They claimed the midlands counties were in danger of being subsumed into the greater Dublin/east coast economic corridor.

The national importance of Dublin is recognised in the submissions but it is generally accepted that there is a need to curtail its "footprint".

Development along the Dublin to Belfast economic corridor is also seen as likely to continue to grow at rates that are among the island's highest.

The submissions strongly recommend, however, the diversion of traffic from Dublin Port to other ports on the east and south-east coasts.

While the southeast and the northwest "do not automatically self-select" as the island's growth drivers according to sources, the National Spatial Strategy will emphasise the importance of each region developing integrated development plans.