MAPS

Military Assets as Public Spaces

Redefining the function, social role and accessibility of former military heritage, to promote development, sustainability and inclusiveness.

MAPS (Military Assets as Public Spaces) is an URBACT III European project which aims to enhance former military heritage as key elements for sustainable urban strategies, combining both functional and social aspects. The main goal of MAPS is to reverse perspectives, highlighting the potentialities of this heritage, albeit discussing all matters related to the plans for their future destination. Following the approach of social architecture, dismissed military areas can be deemed the new symbols of a more conscious and participated urban planning, oriented to the promotion of cohesion and inclusiveness.

The MAPS network involves partners (Cities) from 9 different countries:

Piacenza (Italy) Serres (Greece) Varazdin (Croatia) Szombathely (Hungry) Telsiai (Lithuania) Koblenz (Germany) Longford (Ireland) Espinho (Portugal) Cartegena (Spain)

The network worked to find shared solutions for the development of a series of Integrated Action Plans (IAPs) to support the reuse/regeneration of the former military heritage and promote development, sustainability and inclusiveness.

Connolly Barracks Military Site was identified as the candidate site in Longford. It is located in the urban core of Longford, at the end of the main thoroughfare. Following the closure of the Barracks in 2009 and the subsequent acquisition of part of the site by Longford County Council, it is considered that the Barracks provided a perfect opportunity to stimulate growth in Longford Town. The redevelopment of Connolly Barracks is seen as an opportunity to change direction for this area of the town, to act as a driver for the economic regeneration of the town and the IAP forms an important element in supporting this development.

The core ideas of our IAP are in relation to the regeneration of Connolly Barracks to provide an economic driver for the regeneration of the wider area, but also to ensure that there is a social dividend for the people of Longford and to increase the physical connectivity between Connolly Barracks and the wider town area, particularly given the proximity to the River Camlin and the Main Street.

Documents

Click here to view the Integrated Action Plan for MAPS

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