The branding of Ballina and its environs as the Salmon Tech Valley and the development of Ballina as Ireland's market town of the future - are two of the key recommendations of a new strategy for the town and its surrounding areas' spatial and economic development.
Mayo County Council commissioned the strategy document and a presentation on the draft strategy was given to the elected members of the Ballina Municipal District at their January meeting last week, by planning and environmental consultants MKO and Repucon.
The document, entitled Vision 2030 - North Mayo Economic Gateway, is designed to have a complementary role to the Castlebar/Westport Economic Growth Cluster plan and sees further linkages between all the towns in north and west Mayo along with south West Sligo, with Ballina at its centre.
The councillors were told the strategy is built around five different pillars; people and places, economic assets, natural assets, community assets and catalytic infrastructure.
The promotion and development of Ballina as Ireland's market town of the future - making it a place that people will want to live in and work in, will help move on regional growth, according to the document; while the branding of the area as the Salmon Tech Valley - to lure investment in innovative industries to the area - is also seen as a key outcome for the plan.
