MRA figures leave councillors bemused

It may come as a bolt from the blue for auctioneers, builders and indeed everybody suffering in the midst of the economic recession, but Westmeath's population looks set to skyrocket over the next six years - creating a demand for thousands of new housing units in this county alone.That's according to the Midland Regional Authority, who unveiled their Draft Planning Guidelines for the next twelve years at a meeting of Westmeath County Council on Monday last.Yes, that's Monday last - not one sunny, Celtic Tiger Monday in 2006 or 2007.Filled with all the boom-time optimism that's tantamount to a property developer's dream, the guidelines predict that by 2022, the Midlands will be "a successful, sustainable and equitable region full of opportunities for its expanded population".But it was the MRA's forecast of the extent of that expanded population, particularly in Westmeath, that piqued the interest of local councillors during Monday's meeting.Far from being a wasteland of ghost estates, emigration and repossessions, the MRA reckons that by 2016, the population in Westmeath will have leapfrogged from 79,346 (2006 figures) to just short of 100,000, and indeed just short of 110,000 by 2022, with a population of just under 33,000 in Mullingar in twelve years' time.To house this massive population increase, by 2016, there will be a need for - wait for it - 8,549 housing units, on 441 hectares of housing land. The forecast came as a surprise to local politicians, as it probably will to local developers and auctioneers, who have stood by in agony as the property market came to a shuddering halt over the past two years."What data are these figures based on?" a bemused Cllr. Joe Whelan (Fine Gael) asked, joined by his colleagues Joe Flanagan, and Fianna Fáil's Frankie Keena."If these population figures aren't achieved, what kind of impact will it have on the whole concept of these planning guidelines?" Cllr. Flanagan quizzed, perhaps thinking he had travelled back in time ten years."How accurate are these demographics bearing in mind that we are in a recession?" Labour's Cllr. Mick Dollard followed up. He added that the guidelines made no mention of outreach education, or business and leisure investment to match such a massive forecasted leap in the local population.The guidelines also failed to mention anything about the issue of renewable energy, FG's Cllr. Frank McDermott chimed in.But Martin Daly, Director of the Midland Regional Authority, reminded councillors that these were draft guidelines.He said that the population forecast was "very strong", but "allows for growth". He added that in these trying economic times, it was "difficult to know" how the figures would actually pan out.Thankfully though, if there is a population increase of 30,000 in Westmeath over the next decade, and a concurrent housing boom, we all might be able to move around the "gateway" that little bit easier. In a move welcomed by councillors, the Midland Regional Authority threw its weight behind the campaign to reopen the Mullingar-Athlone rail line, Killucan Station, and a second line between Mullingar and Longford. Cllr. Denis Leonard (Labour), who has campaigned for the reopening of the station at Killucan, said that the MRA's support for these initiatives are a welcome boost ahead of the renegotiation of Transport 21.