Should Kildare get a new town?

COULD Kildare be getting a brand new town in the coming years?

At the June full council meeting, cllr Seamie Moore's motion calling on the local authority to formally write to the National Development Planners and the Eastern and Midland Regional Authority, urging consideration for the creation of a new town in mid-Kildare to address soaring population increases found favour among his peers and council management.

In his proposal, cllr Moore highlighted the growing pressure on existing urban centres such as Naas and Newbridge, and stressed the need for balanced regional development.

He called for the designation of a new Economic Corridor along the commuter catchment area of Naas and Newbridge, the M7/M9 motorways and the Dublin–Cork rail line, situated on an axis between Kilcullen and Rathangan.

Cllr Moore explained the rationale behind the motion in that currently, services in Kildare towns are “overstretched”, and that a new town might be something to think about for the future.

“It highlights problems that could be coming down the line,” said cllr Moore.

Cllr Kevin Duffy supported the motion, and noted that he does not think it’s “extreme” to “look down the vision of where Kildare might go”. 

The motion received attention and support for its forward-looking approach to urban planning and population management, particularly as the county continues to experience significant residential growth.

The proposed corridor would offer new opportunities for investment, employment, and most importantly – housing.

Othe public representatives such as Noel Heavey, Chris Pender, Pádraig McEvoy and Tracey O’Dwyer agreed, with cllr O’Dwyer joking that the new town might have to be named after cllr Seamie Moore.

A council representative responded positively, noting that the development of a new town is definitely up for discussion, however Kildare County Council wishes to focus on compact urban growth in towns and villages that already exist before a new town is developed.

Newbridge councillor Tom McDonnell voiced his confusion as to how the population in Kildare is increasing, citing increasingly lower birth rates within Irish families.

“Where is this population growth coming from,” he said. “It’s alarming.”