Chamber concern at population projection

A claim that the population projections for Mullingar in the draft County Development Plan for Westmeath are too low has been made by Mullingar Chamber of Commerce in its submission under the public consultation process, which ended on Tuesday June 30.

The document noted that in the draft plan, the population projection increase for Mullingar was 2,768, based on an estimated 2021 population of 23,235 and a 2030 projection of 26,003.

However, the submission stated, the draft did not appear to demonstrate how much land is required to be zoned to accommodate this growth or how many residential units it would involve.

On top of this, the chamber believes the population projections are too low, on the basis that the indications currently are that population growth in the eastern and midland region is growing at a faster rate than projected in both the National Planning Framework [NPF] and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy [RSES].

The view of Mullingar chamber is that between now and 2031 in Mullingar “there is potential allocation for c.6,000 more population”.

The chamber has also expressed concern that the draft does not set out job creation targets.

“We identified the IDA Business and Technology Park, the National Science Park and the Irish Manufacturing Research facility as an opportunity to become a centre for excellence as a manufacturing hub for medical devices and PPE and that specific job creation targets be included,” the chamber says.

It went on to add that it is extremely keen that the town maximise the economic opportunities that it has and that these opportunities are stated clearly in all local and regional and national planning policy.