What is the public realm and why is it important?
The public realm can be thought of as publicly accessible spaces, such as the streets, squares, parks and walkways which make up our cities, towns and villages. It includes the public spaces where we interact socially and come together as communities. Its quality and design shapes how we perceive and value our urban centres. It can even influence how we feel, stimulate our minds and support our sense of wellbeing.
Strengthening Our Villages, Towns & Cities
A high-quality public realm can also help strengthen our urban centres and support socio – economic progress. This is recognised in our National Planning Framework (NPF) which highlights that well designed spaces can enhance our urban areas and create desirable places in which people want to live, work or visit. To achieve this, the NPF includes an objective, National Policy Objective – NPO14, to regenerate and rejuvenate cities, towns and villages right across the country. With the support of government funding and in line with NPO 14, local authorities are progressing public realm improvements to revitalise and strengthen their villages, towns and cities.
Regenerate and rejuvenate cities, towns and villages of all types and scale as environmental assets that can accommodate changing roles and functions, increased residential population and employment activity, enhanced levels of amenity and design and placemaking quality, in order to sustainably influence and support their surrounding area to ensure progress toward national achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
OPR – Research Programme
To support local authorities with this work, the OPR, under its Strategic Planning Research Programme, is examining public realm developments in Irish towns and cities to see how the work is being undertaken, what issues are arising and what lessons and advice can be shared across the sector.
Athlone Public Realm Improvements
Our journey begins in Athlone, where in conjunction with Westmeath County Council, the OPR has been looking in detail at the impressive town centre public realm improvements recently completed by the council.
This video clip gives a good overview of the new public realm, now being enjoyed by residents and visitors to Athlone.
Next Steps
OPR Training Webinar on ‘Athlone Public Realm Improvements’
On Friday, 28 November, in conjunction with Westmeath County Council, we held a training webinar to share learning and insights from the Athlone project with the wider local authority sector.
You can access the recording of this webinar and associated training materials here.
Research
Over the months ahead, we will be adding to this webpage to share the knowledge and learning from Westmeath County Council’s experience of delivering public realm improvements.
