Nenagh is 'key town' for expansion

Nenagh leads the way as the fastest municipal district in terms of property development in all of County Tipperary.
And the prospects of a bright future for the town of Nenagh itself looks likely as Tipperary County Council welcome news that the town has been upgraded in status as a centre for social and economic development.
Brian Beck, a senior planner with the council, told Nenagh district councillors at their recent monthly meeting that Nenagh had been identified as a 'Key Town' under the Government's new Southern Regional and Economic Strategy.
Mr Beck said that under that State policy blueprint, Nenagh enjoyed the same 'Key Town' status as much bigger towns such as Mallow and Killarney.
The latter two towns were previously identified under former regional development policy as 'hub towns' - a status that had not been designated to Nenagh.
Mr Beck said that under the new regional development blueprint, Nenagh had been idenfitied as a hinterland town of Limerick City, which is one of five cities earmarked by the Government for major investment.
Under its Project Ireland 2040 plan, the Government says it is seeking to ensure that 75% of growth will take place outside of Dublin, and in particular in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Waterford.
Mr Beck said that Nenagh was one of the few towns in the country that had been identifed in the Ireland 2040 plan as being eligible for both urban and rural regeneration funding.
On foot of these designation, the council would be looking at applications under both urban and rural regeneration projects in 2020.
Mr Beck revealed that the council currently had an application with Government for funding to develop the old Nenagh Gaol.
The plan is to develop an "emotional, authentic and immersive experience" for visitors on the theme of "Crime, Punishment and Repentance", creating a compelling visitor experience.
With a focus on storytelling, the experience will tap into the unique variety of characters that passed through the gates of the gaol. It is planned to recount tales of injustice, law and order using a fully interactive approach, both digital and 'hands-on'.
Of the five municipal districts in Tipperary, the Nenagh Municipal District is currently leading the way in terms of the rate of property development in Tipperary.
Mr Beck said the county council had received 770 planning applications within the past year, 221 of which had come from the Nenagh district.
"Nenagh is by far the busiest municipal district for planning applications and we hope that trend will continue."
Councillor Michael O' Meara (Ind) referred to the major campaign to designate Limerick as the country's second largest city outside Dublin. He pointed out that, under Government plans, the city was in line for unprecedented public investment. "This has to be hugely positive for a town like Nenagh also," he said.
Councillor O' Meara said the county council should now push to develop the rail line between Nenagh and Limerick and ensure that this becomes part of official Government policy.
He said a downside to the Ireland 2040 plan was that it was going to place huge restrictions on people wishing to build houses in their own rural areas. More work needed to be done on rural planning policy to ensure that the economies of villages and their hinterlands and the social lives of people in country areas thrive.
Mr Beck indicated that there was also positive news for the towns of Newport and Ballina as both had been identified in the Southern Regional and Economic Strategy as boundary towns of Limerick City. The populations of the two towns was set to grow because they were so close to the city.
Councillor John Carroll (FF) congratulated the council executive on making the submissions and arguments that ensured that Nenagh, Ballina and Newport would gain under the new regional development and economic strategy.