Designing Ireland's first Forest Town

Towns and cities must be shaped in ways that help people and nature thrive together. As the climate changes and populations grow, we need places that support walking, gathering, access to green space and a sense of belonging. Many towns in Ireland are under pressure from fast growth without the services, spaces or connections to support it. In Newtownmountkennedy, this challenge is also an opportunity to shape a new model for development as Ireland’s first Forest Town.

A historic town in County Wicklow, Newtownmountkennedy is set between the Wicklow Mountains and the sea. It has strong woodland and river landscapes and is home to Coillte’s national headquarters. These natural assets provide the foundation for a distinct identity as a Forest Town, where nature is not separate from development but central to it. The town has grown rapidly in recent years, with its population expected to more than double between 2011 and 2028. Despite this, 78 percent of residents commute out of town for work and 71 percent rely on cars. This creates challenges for climate action, community life and town identity. 

ACT and James Grieve Architects’ Town Centre First Plan responds by setting out a clear path to a more compact, people-friendly and climate-ready town. Led by Wicklow County Council, and developed in close partnership with the Newtownmountkennedy Town Team and wider community, the plan was commissioned under the national Town Centre First policy. It brings together improvements to streets, civic spaces, green areas and mobility infrastructure. Each element is shaped around local needs and designed to support long-term change. 

Responding to community needs

The Town Team, made up of local residents and stakeholders, played a key role throughout the project. Lead by ACT, the consultation process included in-person workshops, online surveys, mapping tools and a digital StoryMap. Over 120 people took part in workshops and nearly 100 completed the survey. From this work, a shared vision quickly emerged: to become ‘Ireland’s Forest Town’. This idea brings together mobility, public realm, biodiversity and community life into a single, place-based direction for the town’s future.

To define these goals, the design process began with background research and mapping, followed by storytelling workshops and visualisations of future scenarios. From there, ideas were refined into project bundles and phased delivery steps, all shaped by community input. 

‘The strength of this plan comes from its grounding in community insight. Working closely with the Town Team enabled us to shape a strategic framework that balances growth, heritage and climate resilience, while setting out a clear pathway for implementation.’ - James McConville  

Defining the plan

The plan focuses on the town centre and its links to nearby neighbourhoods, landscapes and movement networks, identifying projects to upgrade public space, improve walking and cycling, create civic areas, support community amenities and encourage local jobs.

Key design moves include reshaping Main Street to make it safer and more welcoming, defining new civic squares, linking heritage sites through walking trails and creating green corridors that connect the town to surrounding landscapes, integrating ecological systems and urban life to support biodiversity, climate resilience and everyday wellbeing.

As a Forest Town, these interventions strengthen connections between people and nature, linking streets, spaces and neighbourhoods into a network of green corridors, woodlands and river landscapes.

Mobility challenges and active travel priorities

Despite growth, many residents travel outside the town for work, mostly by car. Main Street is dominated by traffic and the town centre lacks civic life. Public space is limited, heritage buildings are underused and green areas are not well connected. Community members requested better mobility, improved access to green space, stronger community services and a clearer identity. 

Embedding long-term resilience

Long-term resilience is built in from the beginning by encouraging town-centre living, reusing existing buildings, and reducing car dependency by improving walking and cycling infrastructure. Green features that include planting, natural drainage, and biodiversity corridors, are integrated throughout the town.  

To facilitate these design directions, the team used several tools to inform their decisions. These included mapping the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), analysing population data, auditing mobility patterns, and assessing local biodiversity. As a result, the plan also aligns with the New European Bauhaus principles and Wicklow County Council’s Climate Action Plan. 

Forest Town vision and trail network

At the core of the plan is a clear and distinctive ambition: to establish Newtownmountkennedy as Ireland’s first Forest Town. This concept builds on the town’s unique setting within a rich network of woodland, rivers and green spaces, with new and enhanced forest trails acting as a key structuring element. Rather than treating nature as a backdrop, the Forest Town approach uses these trails to connect neighbourhoods, the town centre and surrounding landscapes. By linking existing woodlands through accessible walking and cycling routes, and introducing green corridors, the plan integrates biodiversity and active travel into everyday life. These trails improve access to nature while supporting low-carbon movement, community wellbeing and a stronger sense of place.

Using local materials and identity

Materials for public space were chosen to fit the local context and heritage. As a result, timber for items like benches and lighting form part of a wider identity strategy that reflects the town’s connection to the forest. Finishes are designed to work with the town’s architecture and landscape.

Measuring social impact

Inclusive design remained a clear priority in developing the Town Centre First Plan. A disability audit helped shape all decisions around access. Additionally, spaces were designed for all ages, including children, young people, families and older residents. This broad approach to inclusion has helped build strong public support for the plan and encouraged a sense of shared ownership across the community. 

Reflecting on outcomes

 ‘I appreciate the care ACT put into the work, the attention they paid to the feedback from the people of the town and, most of all, the value they put on biodiversity and nature in their work.’ - Town Team Member 

The Newtownmountkennedy Town Centre First Plan provides the foundation to sharpen the town’s identity and shared direction for its future. By positioning Newtownmountkennedy as Ireland’s first Forest Town, the plan brings together local knowledge, community priorities and national policy into a clear and compelling vision. It offers a practical example of how towns can grow in a way that restores nature, supports community life and delivers a regenerative, climate-ready future.