Located approximately 32km north of Dublin City, Balbriggan is the youngest and one of the most culturally diverse large towns in Ireland.
Balbriggan is designated as a ‘self-sustaining town’ in the new Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA,) Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) 2019-2031. This is defined as a town with high levels of population growth and a weak employment base which are reliant on other areas for employment and/or services and which require targeted ‘catch up’ investment to become more self-sustaining.
In 2019, over 4,000 people over the age of 11 took part in a public engagement on the future of Balbriggan, just under 25% of Balbriggan residents, resulting in the publication of “Our Balbriggan 2019 – 2025 Rejuvenation Plan”, setting out an ambitious vision for Balbriggan. To support the delivery of this plan, Fingal County Council and Smart Dublin have partnered together to launch Smart Balbriggan, a new and exciting Smart District programme.
Programme Activities
Smart Balbriggan will seek to solve local challenges using smart technology projects, innovation and collaboration with a wide variety of local stakeholders.
Smart Balbriggan projects will focus on:
- Community Building
The Smart Balbriggan District will build the town’s identity as a forward-thinking, young and dynamic place to live, work and visit. Smart Balbriggan will help to increase civic pride and community integration by bringing together a wide range of stakeholders including residents, businesses and academics, with a specific focus on engaging the young population, providing opportunities to shape and contribute to projects.
- Job Creation and Economic Growth
A key message of the Smart Balbriggan District is that Balbriggan is open for business and investment. Smart Balbriggan will provide opportunities for local technology providers to access the town’s assets and public data, facilitating opportunities for companies to work collaboratively to stimulate the local economy and job-creation through the development of new products and services. A priority for the Smart Balbriggan District will be to support the development of co-working space to provide SME’s and tech start-ups with work space in which to collaborate and to provide remote working space for local residents to reduce commuting.
- Improved Services and Public Realm
Mobility is often cited as a key challenge for local communities. The provision of “smart” mobility options and services such as mobility hubs, shared cars and bike scheme will enhance the liveability and workability of Balbriggan. The installation of smart physical infrastructure in Balbriggan such as smart benches and digital signage will bring the idea of a Smart District to life for citizens by providing visible examples of the smart technology in the community.
Get in touch!
If you would like to find out more or get involved in Smart Balbriggan email OurBalbriggan@Fingal.ie
