A necklace of key growth centres, connected by fibre-optic cable, with fast road access, all served by regional airports. The development plans currently being compiled on both sides of the Border are a compelling vision for Ireland.
For the first time, the plans are to carry a "common chapter" relating to cross-Border bodies and the development of the Border counties.
In the North, the development plan envisages major centres at Belfast and Derry, Derry being developed as a centre for the north-west. Smaller centres, such as Enniskillen, will be developed for the catchment areas of Cos Leitrim, Cavan and Sligo.
The North's plan for spatial development is Shaping our Future, drawn up by the Department of Environment (NI) last year. Perhaps for the first time, such a plan is overtly concerned with cross-Border economic development.
In the Republic, the public consultation process on the National Development Plan (NDP) is just complete. The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, hopes to submit it to the EU Commission by the end of July, well before the September deadline.
The social partners have all recently had a chance to give their input. So also have the ERSI, the IFA and the Department of Finance.
There is, however, one key element in planning for new towns and cities which must permeate every level of the NDP. It was identified simply and succinctly by Prof John Fitzgerald, of the ERSI, in an address to the Royal Town Planning Institute in Dublin last month.
The key element is that people will not live or work in new growth centres unless they contain an extremely attractive environment in which to work, rear children and socialise. Statistics reveal an increasing higher lever of education among the Republic's youth. These highly-employable people, whose presence attracts quality industry, want a high quality of life.
The example of Galway is a case in point. This city has enjoyed growth levels twice those of the rest of the country in recent years. This is attributed to Galway's image as a desirable place to live.
Writing in The Irish Times over the last three days, Mr Peter Brennan, of IBEC, warned of planning delays blocking major infrastructural projects. He is correct in this.
Ms Patricia O'Donovan, of the ICTU, claims we should set priorities to deal with social inequality and exclusion.
Yesterday Prof Fitzgerald wrote that the social partners were in broad agreement on what needed to be done. What was needed, said Prof Fitzgerald, was the vision to implement the plan.
Each of these views has called for "sustainable development". However, local authorities have previously gone on a rezoners' charter, arguing that their action was "sustainable" as there was a road or a waste water pipe in the vicinity.
There has been no detail from Government of who will manage the new development. All too often a local authority planning office, which rarely includes an architect, consists of staff whose entire time is spent responding to development applications.
In many counties, the development plan's provisions are out of date for the level of investment envisaged.
The regional authorities which commissioned the Fitzpatrick plan have little statutory power and are hopelessly underfunded.
Meanwhile, the new super-regions - the Border, Midlands and West Region and the Southern and Eastern Region - have not yet been set up. We still have not seen the text of the proposals from the Minister for Environment, Mr Dempsey, for the reform of the planning codes.
In much the same way as the European Commission approves our NDP, we must insist that the regional authorities approve the county development plans.
Separate plans from the responsible authorities for schools, hospitals, shopping centres, cinemas, theatres, churches and even the development of natural amenities must all be integrated.
For too long regional development has depended on that region having a Cabinet seat. As the population declines rapidly from 2010, we will not get another chance to develop new cities. We have just one chance to get it right.