Government and academic figures from around Europe are in Limerick today to launch a new initiative aimed at encouraging greater eco-design in regional planning policies.

The Mid-West Regional Authority, in cooperation with the South-West Regional Authority and the University of Limerick, are participating in the FRESH Project - Forwarding Regional Environmental Sustainable Hierarchies – in partnership with several other EU countries. The initiative began in November last year and runs until 2012.

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As part of the project, each partner region will test and implement a series of tools for dealing both with economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability.

Commenting on the Mid-West region’s focused theme over the next three years, Liam Conneally, Director of the Mid-West Regional Authority said: "Our primary focus will be on Sustainable Urban Living, and to influence planning and energy policies through eco-design and eco-innovation."

He added: "Through our participation in the FRESH project, we will be cooperating with our project partners in the region in seeking to disseminate good practice of regional development policies and instruments promoting environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness.

"The eco-village project in Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, and the E-Towns initiative in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, are prime examples of such an approach and we would hope to see similar projects developed in the Mid West Region over the coming years."

(NS/BMcc)