THE vision of a dynamic new Limerick, as envisaged in the 2030 Economic and Spatial Plan, may have been blurred by the settling dust of the economic crash, but five years on it’s starting to shine.
The word ‘renaissance’ was used to describe what would unfold in Limerick over the next 17 years. It’s a word loaded with expectation but it is more than being fulfilled.
More than 12,000 jobs have been announced since the 2030 Plan was launched in 2013 with more than €1.6 billion invested by new or existing companies. The city is now one of the fastest growing Irish regions for foreign direct investment outside of Dublin.
The redevelopment of the city centre is also well underway thanks to the establishment of Limerick Twenty Thirty Strategic Development DAC. Focussed initially on city projects like the Opera Site and its already underway Gardens International sister-site, it will ultimately deliver a city and county programme of investment that amounts to the biggest commercial property play undertaken outside Dublin. Master planning is continuing for the Cleeves site.
Innovate Limerick, which is helping to drive innovation across the city and county has already claimed a number of major wins. These include the development of a 35,000 sq ft Innovation Hub at Roxboro, and Engine in the city centre, where it will co-locate FDI companies and provide shared workspace along with a Production and Digital Skills Hub, ensuring that the skills required for film production are available in Limerick.
Troy Studios is creating a completely new industry in Limerick and has currently just finished production for George RR Martin’s ‘Nightflyers’ a major new international series for Netflix.
The Limerick 2030 Plan has also given rise to a new Investment Office as part of the local authority’s Economic Development Directorate to with other key agencies to attract investment.
The list of new arrivals in Limerick in recent times includes Uber, Northern Trust, ACI Worldwide, Virgin Media, Optel Vision, Ernst & Young, Ripplecom, Fazzi Healthcare Services, Stats, Ortec Inc and Teckro.
A new Tourism Development and Marketing Strategy 2017-2023 has been designed to revitalise the tourism industry, double the number of visitors, capture key opportunities that exist for growth and highlight priority action areas to unlock the significant benefits that a thriving tourism industry can bring.
The renaissance has also been energised by the local authority’s determination to take advantage of digital technologies. This will help to double the number of digital start-ups in Limerick, double the number of SMEs trading online, double the use of data and create equal opportunities for all citizens.
Limerick is the first city in Ireland to appoint a Chief Digital Officer to lead a digital strategy that will lay the foundation for the Smart Limerick Region.
One manifestation of this is Limerick.ie, an award winning platform that enables locals and visitors instant access to information on some 2,000 attractions and 1,000 events across the city and county each year. The digital strategy will enable vast real-time engagement across the Internet of Things, delivering huge environmental and security enhancements for all citizens, young and old.
The local authority is seeking to develop a coherent brand strategy for Limerick, by coordinating its own marketing activities, and by taking a lead role in leveraging the marketing activities of its key strategic partners.
It is the latest move by the Council to lead the transformation of the city into an urban centre that is delivering as a key national catalyst of growth and helping to deliver balanced regional development on the island of Ireland.
It comes off the back of a record period of growth for Limerick across the past five years
The creation of a new brand identity is the latest initiative in an ongoing marketing drive under the Economic and Spatial plan that has played a key role in the economic regeneration of the city.
A range of marketing initiatives have supported the wider plan with a strong emphasis on digital technology innovations and digital marketing campaigns run through the hugely successful Limerick.ie
Head of Marketing and Communications Laura Ryan told The Limerick Post that Limerick has been revitalised over the past five years beyond expectations.
“The genesis of this was undoubtedly the launch of the Limerick Economic and Spatial Plan in 2013. We’ve had huge gains since and now we want to go again, at all levels, including through this brand identity initiative. Limerick is now, thankfully, in a place that it can make a bold and creative declaration that it is a hugely attractive and competitive location to work live and play.”
Ms Ryan explained that the confidence has been hard earned and down to a confluence of success across the region.
“The ‘Limerick Charter: Commitment to Cohesion and Convergence’ was initiated and signed up to by all key stakeholders in the region, leading to a level of collaboration across these stakeholders that has been critical also in the development of the region. Those stakeholders, Shannon Group, Shannon Foynes Port Authority, Limerick Chamber, University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College, and the Limerick Institute of Technology, have all enjoyed huge growth so we have a real platform to shout from.”
The competitive brand identity will be used to support the development of Limerick as a vibrant economic and visitor destination, as well as a unifying stimulus for all city and county stakeholders.
In addition to defining the brand, the successful agency will be asked to develop an implementation programme that will include an action orientated plan to guide the process from brand launch to its strategic development including a five-year implementation programme for adaption by Limerick City and County Council.
The Council is continuing to work with Retail Excellence Ireland to improve the retail offering in Limerick City. A new strategy including support for retailers and a new Investment Prospectus for Limerick with a view to attracting new and existing retailers to locate in the City is being developed as well as a programme of training and development for retailers in Limerick.
The multi-million euro project to revitalise O’Connell Street (LUCROC) is continuing which will add new impetus and vitality to the city centre.
Work is also beginning on a new Development Plan for Limerick to plan for and futureproof Limerick’s development.
It’s in keeping with the new sense and exciting sense of ambition in Limerick today. The delivery on that ambition in four short years has seen the narrative completely transformed nationally and internationally about Limerick – a city and county now recognised as a vibrant place to live, study, play and invest in.
This article is part of the Limerick Post Mid-West Industry special, to read more article, interviews, and editorials from the special feature, click here.
