Metropolitan Cork

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Metropolitan Cork refers to the city of Cork, its suburbs and the satellite towns that feed into it. The term is used in the Cork Area Strategic Plan to refer to the area whose labour and property market is shared with the city. The plan declares that it is envisaged as an area with "an integrated transport system, and the social, cultural and educational facilities of a modern European city."[1]

In addition to the city of Cork, it includes the towns of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill, Cobh, Douglas, Glanmire, Glounthaune and Midleton.

The major residential and industrial areas of Metropolitan Cork will be connected by the Cork Suburban Rail in 2008 when the commuter service is extended to the east suburbs with stations at Carrigtwohill and Midleton as well as new stations to the north suburbs of the city including Blarney, Monard and Kilbarry. Frequency will be increased on the Cobh line with the station in Glounthaune being updated as it will become the new junction between the Cork-Cobh-Midleton lines.

According to the Cork Area Strategic Plan, the population of Metropolitan Cork was 251,510 in 2000; 274,000 in 2006 (See Cork Joint Housing Strategy below) and this is projected to rise to 316,530 by 2020.