Metropolitan Cork | |
---|---|
Metropolitan area | |
Country | Ireland |
Region | County Cork |
Largest city | Cork (222,526) |
Area | |
• Metro | 820 km2 (320 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Metro | 270,000 |
• Metro density | 330/km2 (850/sq mi) |
GDP | |
• Metro | €103.206 billion |
Metropolitan Cork includes the city of Cork, Ireland, its suburbs, the rural hinterland that surrounds it, and a number of the towns and villages in that hinterland.[3] Some of the latter towns and villages are within the administrative area of County Cork.
The term Metropolitan Cork was used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city.[4] The plan declared that it was envisaged as an area with "an integrated transport system, and the social, cultural and educational facilities of a modern European city".[5] Metropolitan Cork is the core employment hub of the "Greater Cork" area. The term is loosely defined but has been taken by authorities to include the city of Cork and the surrounding suburban and commuter towns of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Glanmire, Glounthaune, Midleton, Passage West and Ringaskiddy.[3][6]
According to the Cork Area Transit System (CATS) Study Final Report of February 2010, at that time, the metropolitan area covered 820 km2 and approximately 270,000 people.[1]
By mid-2018, legislation was drafted to expand the boundary of Cork city, to include a number of the metropolitan area towns (such as Blarney and Carrigtwohill).[7][8] This change proposed to bring much of "Metropolitan Cork" within the bounds of the Cork City Council area.[7][8] On 31 May 2019, the boundary change came into force, with the city bounds being extended to include Ballincollig, Blarney, Glanmire, Rochestown, Grange and Cork Airport, and thereby increasing the city population from 125,000 to approximately 210,000.[9]
The Metropolitan area, as defined in CASP, includes Cork City and the towns and areas in the immediate hinterland [..It..] covers 820 km2, and has a population of 272,541, as determined from Census 2006
Metropolitan Cork [..] encompasses both the City proper, and the settlements of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Douglas, Glanmire, Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, Midleton and Cobh