A new masterplan development has been proposed for Athlone which could cater for a population of 100,000 by 2040.
The blueprint unveiled would make Athlone Ireland's first green city.
Ballymore Group and its founder Sean Mulryan identified Athlone as the ideal pilot for this major new development.
This is due to the existing fundamental building blocks that are already in place, including the university, and a town centre with room to expand and enable green transport.
The area was also deemed to have the natural resources to allow 90% of its energy to be generated from renewable sources and to support the national energy transition.
Contained in the blueprint are an ambitious number of plans, including the growth of TUS Athlone campus up to 25,000 students as a centre of excellence in green technology, a 5,000 bed eco-friendly student village, and planning for Athlone's population to reach 100,000 in the first phases.
In addition, the plans propose 20,000 new zero carbon homes in the first phases, an enhanced riverfront city centre, road networks tailed for electric driverless buses, EVs, bikes and pedestrians, new health care facilities, schools, arts and sports facilities, 5,000 hectares of rewilded wetlands, callows, and rewetting of bogs.
The proposal also outlined that the development of a new green city in the heart of Ireland would ensure a wide economic benefit across the Midlands and North-West regions.
