CITY Councillor Tom Shortt said he expects plans for the construction of a controversial youth centre in Ballynanty to be passed by An Bord Pleanala, following the submission of an appeal by members of the Ballynanty residents opposition committee. Limerick Youth Service is planning to build a €1.8 million youth centre next to Thomond Park; the proposed two-story facility would include an activity hall, stage, youth café and kitchen.
However, a group of locals are opposed to the plan on the basis that the land is zoned open space.
Among their reasons for opposing the facility, the residents also say that the community centre and St Lelia’s Community Hall will suffer losses if youth services are relocated.
However, Labour Party Councillor Tom Shortt told Limerick Post: “My feeling is it got through the Limerick City Council planning department, so I expect it to get through An Bord Pleanala as the same regulations and requirements will apply.”
He continued: “There is a serious need for youth facilities in the area, and here is Limerick Youth Service correctly coming up with a plan to address that. I think it will be an investment for the community.”
Cllr Shortt said he had received positive feedback in support of the facility from several members of the community.
“The silent majority are for this development, but there is a small and very vocal minority who are opposing it.”
Regarding the concerns of those appealing the plans, Cllr Shortt said: “There’s lots of green space in the area; that’s not an issue. Green space is no good on these dark winter evenings, it would be a very positive thing to turn that space into a well-equipped youth centre.”
He concluded: “We have a lot of talk in the Council about young people; this is a time not for talk but for action. By building a centre we can put a real strategy in place rather than demonising young people because there’s nowhere else for them to go. In my opinion there has been very poor political leadership on this issue in the city.”
