New town planned for site near Bray

Proposals to develop a new town on the outskirts of Bray, capitalising on the proposed Luas extension and proximity to the M11/M50 motorway, in Co Wicklow are being drafted by Wicklow County Council. According to regional planning guidelines, the combined population of the existing town of Bray and a new town based to the west at Fassaroe could have a population of up to 100,000 people by 2020. However, consultants who recently held a public consultation period on the plan and briefed members of Bray Town Council on the issues raised, have been asked to plan for a more modest level of growth. According to Tiros consultants, which have been hired by the county council to prepared the plan, Fassaroe is one of the few remaining areas around Bray where development can reasonably be expected to take place. Tiros also considered Kilruddery, east of Kilmacanogue, the Dargle area and Kilcroney before concluding Fassaroe was the most suitable location for a new town.