Utilising the EU-supported THRIVE programme – Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme, Limerick City and County Council are preparing an Integrated Urban Strategy for Newcastle West.
Newcastle West is the largest town in County Limerick. It attracts people from a wide catchment to live, work, shop and socialise.
The population of the town has grown and it is now a multi-cultural town with many nationalities. In the last census (2022), just under 30% of the population of the town were not born in Ireland.
Maintaining the town’s strength as a market town since the 18th Century, the local economy has a strong manufacturing base and quality jobs. It has strong commercial functions, a thriving retail sector and services in education, health and other areas, providing for people living in the town and its wider rural and agricultural hinterland. Newcastle West’s function as a strong market town, its early history and heritage centred on the Castle and its cultural and arts offering are also key to its identity.
Utilising the EU-supported THRIVE programme – Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme, Limerick City and County Council are preparing an Integrated Urban Strategy for Newcastle West.
This strategy focuses on the town centre and will be developed with citizen engagement and in consultation with local businesses, public and voluntary and community organisations in Newcastle West. As part of the strategy, we will identify a small number of key heritage-led physical projects that have the potential to revitalise the Town Centre.
The Integrated Urban Strategy and identification of key projects for the town centre will draw on the local heritage and culture of Newcastle West and engagement with people from the diversity of cultures and backgrounds present in the town as well as the businesses and voluntary organisations. It will build on existing local authority plans and strategies for the town.
This strategy will align with the principles of government’s Town Centre First policy and the Newcastle West Local Area Plan 2023-2029.
- Funding
- Development of Integrated Urban Strategy
- Existing Strategies and Plans
- Public Engagement
- Latest Updates
- Have Your Say
Funding
Limerick City and County Council successfully secured €199,116 of funding to prepare this Integrated Urban Strategy as part of Strand 1 of the THRIVE Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme. The scheme has been co-designed by the Regional Assemblies in Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to address European, national and regional policy objectives. THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
THRIVE adopts the practice and principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) methodology. The NEB is centred on delivery of sustainable solutions for transforming the built environment and fosters change in lifestyles needed for the “green” transition. The NEB methodology involves three strands which shall be incorporated into any potential future project:
Together Sustainable Beautiful
Development of Integrated Urban Strategy
| Autumn 2024 | Winter 2024 | Spring 2025 |
| First community information event | Citizen and stakeholder co-creation workshops | Project pipeline developed and reviewed |
| Project promotion and public engagement | Preparation of Draft IUS | Completion of IUS |
| Community workshops | Citizen and stakeholder feedback workshop |
Existing Strategies and Plans
This new Integrated Urban Strategy will be formulated taking account of existing plans that have been developed by Limerick City and County Council, such as those below. This will allow the Integrated Urban Strategy to build on analysis and research from other periods of work for Newcastle West.
Public Engagement
Our first public engagement events took place on the 3rd and the 5th of October in the Square, Newcastle West.
This was a public information event for the people of Newcastle West where we introduced the project, discussed the potential of an Integrated Urban Strategy for the Town Centre and heard people’s opinions and feelings about the Town Centre.
People we met on the street completed surveys at the event and spent time talking to us about the town - what’s good about it, what issues are presenting and what we can do to improve the town centre. Others took our information leaflet with the link to the online version of the survey. This online survey is still open and we invite people who live, work in or visit Newcastle West to share their thoughts and ideas with us - Have your say!
Throughout the month of October we have built on this initial engagement and continued by meeting with different groups weekly to get a good cross-section of views on local issues and priorities. In parallel we have also held one-to-one meetings with people that have a stake in the town and a good knowledge of it, across business interests, public agencies, sport, culture and arts and community so were are aware of the different perspectives.
We are continuing this work in Newcastle West at the start of November by hosting workshops being organised in collaboration with West Limerick Resources during Social Inclusion Week (4-8th November).
See details of future public events and how you can engage in the process in the Latest Updates sectionBack to top
Latest Updates
Last updated: 30th October 2024
- Please join Limerick City and County Council in the Market House in Newcastle West to discuss the plans for this project and engage with locals on November 7th from 2:00PM to 5:00PM
Have Your Say
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