[dolanbaker]

Originally Posted by spacetweek

Athlone could do with some consolidation. The tiger was not kind to the place, in Google Maps it looks like someone dropped a town from a height.

True, there are several "dead spaces" near the centre that could benefit from some sympathetic development, as in some decent town housing.

[dubhthach]

Originally Posted by spacetweek

Athlone could do with some consolidation. The tiger was not kind to the place, in Google Maps it looks like someone dropped a town from a height.

I think that's the story of most urban areas in Ireland especially where they didn't have large areas of undeveloped land within urban boundary. In which case you get plenty of sprawl. I see Google Earth has improved their coverage of Ireland signifcantly over the last couple months. I wouldn't be surprised if ye start seeing it used in planning meetings in a couple years when people are objecting to development/zoning decisions.

[KevR]

The Google Maps satellite images of Athlone which have only become available recently were probably actually taken a couple of years ago I'd say.

[Aard]

No significant development since then though really.

[dubhthach]

Originally Posted by KevR

The Google Maps satellite images of Athlone which have only become available recently were probably actually taken a couple of years ago I'd say.

September 7th 2007 to be precise. If you look at lower left hand part of image in Google earth it gives the exact date that the image was taken. If you look at Clara you see the image is from March 18, 2009, thence the fully operational section of the M6 visible in that reel of images. Likewise the new higher resolution images of Ballinasloe are from March 1st 2010

[Sponge Bob]

Wrong Kong has gone into planning.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/busines...bs-155276.html

Athlone Business Park Ltd, an Irish company, has submitted its planning application to Westmeath County Council for Phase 1 of the proposed international trade and commerce centre on an overall 137 hectare zoned site.

Phase I to be built on 32 hectares, is costed at €175 million with an estimated 1,500 jobs as well as 1,200 construction jobs.

John Tiernan, chief executive, said the company is promoting Ireland for several reasons, "including our membership of the EU and the fact that we are English-speaking".

[Technoprisoner]

i havent read the whole thread but i expect this would coincide with the international airport planned for there as well... maybe a main european hub for asian flights.. also it would make absolute econmical sense if china could fly there parts to ireland...assembled in irsh factorys and shipped to the rest of europe stamped as made in ireland

[Pete_Cavan]

Originally Posted by Technoprisoner

i havent read the whole thread but i expect this would coincide with the international airport planned for there as well...

Get them to pay to conplete the M18 and then they have two international airports within an hour and a halfs drive and motorway the whole way to each.

[Sponge Bob]

We sold our Wrong Kong out way too cheaply. Look what the Icelandic Wrong Kong project will net their government.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14714524

Huang Nubo is reported to have offered a billion krona (£5.4m: $8.8m) for the 300sq km (155 sq mile) Grimsstadir a Fjollum region.


Critics of the plan fear it could be used by China to gain a strategic foothold in Iceland. But Icelandic officials have welcomed the purchase and the further 20bn krona Mr Huang says he intends to invest.

[dolanbaker]

It was always a pipe dream, even this Icelandic idea sounds like they're smoking some good stuff!

[spacetweek]

Originally Posted by Sponge Bob

We sold our Wrong Kong out way too cheaply. Look what the Icelandic Wrong Kong project will net their government.

Bring it on! Where do I sign up for Chinese patronage?
How much is the Athlone investment worth?

[dolanbaker]

Originally Posted by spacetweek

Bring it on! Where do I sign up for Chinese patronage?
How much is the Athlone investment worth?

About 10% of what the land speculators paid for it a few years ago!

[veryangryman]

Ill believe all this when i see the first sod turned

[patrickbrophy18]

It looks like something out of Extreme Engineering.

[dowlingm]

I was having a read of the submissions on the Wrong Kong application (111025 on Westmeath Co Co), and in addition to being surprised as to how many of the objections were submitted on lined notepaper/copybooks, I was taken aback at the opening to An Taisce's submission. Is it really their business (in being a body which is invited to comment on planning apps for presumably heritage reasons) that the proposal "will cost Irish jobs by promoting Chinese exports in Ireland" and is unviable "as a consequence of declining oil production"?

Surely such assertions are the province of the Chambers of Commerce or the IDA or similar? Does An Taisce routinely advance economic argumentation in their responses to planning documents?