Re: Re: shannon new town, co. clare
Shannon plan to create 1,000 jobs
A €400 million plan to create 1,000 jobs in Shannon over the next 15 years was unveiled today.
The blueprint aims to create a new town centre on a 90-acres site in the Co Clare industrial hub still reeling from the Aer Lingus decision to axe Heathrow flights from Shannon Airport this month.
The proposals include plans for a new main street and town square as well as a civic arts centre, hotel, civic park, a primary school, clinic and an enterprise school.
The Masterplan was prepared on behalf of Clare County Council by Murray O Laoire Architects. Shannon, the only twentieth century planned town in Ireland, was built in the 1960s on reclaimed marshland alongside Shannon Airport and Shannon Free Zone industrial estate.
The town itself was originally intended as a home for local workers but saw rapid growth in population levels in recent years.
“The completed Masterplan contains an overall vision, planning framework and design guidance on the best potential development of the lands as an extension of the town centre area in Shannon,” said Clare County Council Senior Executive Planner, John Bradley, “Shannon has all the traits of a suburb and few of the qualities of a town.
The community needs a place and space that brings things and people together – a pulsing heart. The town centre must integrate properly with the existing centre, airport and industrial estate and estuary to give an overall package.”
The proposals also include 1,500 underground car parking spaces, a network of pedestrian and cycling routes as well as higher building design standards and building technology to achieve the greatest energy efficiency.
Other green energy initiatives in the blueprint include solar panels, rain water harvesting and five hectares of parklands and wetlands. The Shannon Masterplan will go on public display in the town tomorrow.It must be approved by members of Shannon Town Council and Clare County Council before construction can begin.
© 2008 ireland.com
The new Coonagh Shopping Centre does both Shannon Town and Limerick City Centre no favours.
