Urban Planning Strategies in Ireland
Chapter 8
• Name and describe FOUR planning
strategies
• Explain the NDP’s plans for future
development of Cork and Limerick cities
The Wright Plan
The Buchanan Report
The National Development Plan
The National Spatial Strategy
• Name of plan
• Year/s of proposal
• Two key details (cost, reasons
why, proposers etc)
• Town/city it was targeting
During the mid to late 20th century Dublin city grew rapidly. However the
city was becoming overcrowded and had many buildings were of poor
quality. The Wright Plan suggested building new towns out in the
suburbs and building the transport and communication links needed to
support these new towns. Many of the residents of old, run down city
centre areas were moved to areas like Tallaght, Blanchardstown or the
high rise flats in Ballymun.
Ballymun, for example, tower blocks and two-storey houses were built
on 144 hectares of land. It was advertised as Ireland’s leading housing
scheme when finished in 1969.
However, it rapidly became one of Irelands worst planning
disasters!!
While large amounts of people were moved out from the city
centre their jobs were still there.
Dublin continued to grow as the capital / primate city.
In the newly built areas there were not enough services or
sufficient transport.
The newly built areas rapidly became sprawling housing
estates with social problems.
The Buchanan Report took a more balanced view of managing
Ireland’s urban growth and reducing the dependency on Dublin.
This report suggested a national strategy for development.
The Buchanan Report suggested:
1. Focus on two national growth centres at Cork and Limerick
2. Create smaller local centres at Letterkenny, Cavan, Tralee
and Castlebar.
3. Create 6 regional centres for regional growth: Dundalk,
Drogheda, Athlone, Sligo, Galway and Waterford.
However…………..the Buchanan Report did not get political
support so the Wright Plan was chosen and implemented.
• The main aim of the NDP is balanced regional development.
• Investing in areas like infrastructure, education, training and social inclusion.
• NDP identified 5 cities as ‘gateways’= Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and
Dublin.
Objectives included:
1. Sustainable national employment growth
2. Improve housing, transport, services etc
3. Strengthen Ireland’s competiveness with other countries
4. Balanced regional development
5. Promote social inclusion
6. Services for vulnerable members of society
• Current NDP 2007-2013 budget is approx. €183.7 billion
18 year planning framework for improved social, economic and
physical development throughout Ireland. Also aimed for population
growth balance in the country.
Combined with the Gateways of the NDP, this plan added further
gateways of Sligo, Letterkenny, Dundalk, Athlone, Mullingar and
Tullamore.
Also smaller ‘hubs’ were identified including Wexford, Killarney and
Castelbar among others.
Idea was to improve regional development and stop reliance on the
Dublin area.
(Aims of the NSS very similar to the Buchanan Report)