TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology
TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology
TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology
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To address the main aim, the following objectives were set.<br />
Encourage dialogue, collaboration, and forging new alliances between a wide range <strong>of</strong><br />
stakeholders in each <strong>of</strong> the gateways.<br />
Explore the driving forces <strong>of</strong> change at global, national and local level and develop a set<br />
<strong>of</strong> possible and desirable futures for spatial development <strong>of</strong> the gateways and Ireland as<br />
whole.<br />
Promote strategic foresight and a futures oriented mindset amongst the key<br />
stakeholders and decision-makers involved in planning at local, regional and national<br />
level.<br />
1.2 Scope<br />
The focus <strong>of</strong> this project was specifically aimed at the eight gateway towns and cities (Fig. 1)<br />
originally designated in the National Spatial Strategy to stimulate a more balanced pattern <strong>of</strong><br />
regional development in Ireland. The development <strong>of</strong> the gateways as national and regional<br />
engines <strong>of</strong> growth would imply great transformations <strong>of</strong> these places in demographic, spatial,<br />
economic and social terms. Many <strong>of</strong> the gateways are currently undertaking the planning and<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> major development projects that will have lasting effects on their future. It<br />
is also expected that the NSS designation, strengthened by the provision <strong>of</strong> additional funding<br />
(i.e. Gateway Innovation Fund, through the National Development Plan 2007-2013), will foster<br />
further growth <strong>of</strong> the gateway cities and towns.<br />
The special attention <strong>of</strong> this project on the eight gateways was dictated by a strong need to<br />
examine the effects <strong>of</strong> the growth <strong>of</strong> the past few years, but even more so, by the need to<br />
provoke and challenge current thinking about the long-term future in order to test, enhance and<br />
future-pro<strong>of</strong> decisions taken today. This is needed to ensure that these territories are not<br />
exposing themselves to threats on the one hand, and not closing themselves to the opportunities<br />
that the future may hold on the other.<br />
At this point, it is also important to stress that as the remit <strong>of</strong> the study has been limited to the<br />
eight gateways, the future <strong>of</strong> the Greater <strong>Dublin</strong> Area, as well as the ‘hubs’ 2 , has not been<br />
examined in detail, but only to the extent required for the exploration <strong>of</strong> Ireland’s future.<br />
2 Hubs – towns designated in the National Spatial Strategy as “centres supporting the national and<br />
international role <strong>of</strong> the gateways and in turn energising smaller towns and rural areas within their sphere<br />
<strong>of</strong> influence” (DoELGH, 2002: 12).<br />
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