VIOLENCE and anti-social behaviour on the streets, coupled with a total lack of investment in housing, will make a ghost town of Limerick City, Limerick Chamber have warned.
In a shot across the bow to An Bord Pleanála (ABP), the Chamber Chief Executive and Chief Economist, Dee Ryan and Seán Golden, have issued a plea to the planning appeals body to move quickly on two significant housing projects in the heart of the city that have been stalled by appeals.
Limerick City and County Council gave planning approval for two city apartment blocks in recent months, only for An Taisce to appeal both of them to the state’s planning body.
Council planners approved a student accommodation block in the former Railway Hotel on Parnell Street, as well a 21-unit apartment complex James Street and Upper Mallow Street.
The planned student accommodation block at the former hotel on Parnell Street would create 111 student bed spaces in a prominent building that has lain empty since 2016.
However, An Taisce appealed the development on the grounds that the arrangement of windows in the new development is “entirely at odds” with the surrounding buildings, and not enough outside space would be provided for residents.
In a written communication to An Bord Pleanála, Limerick Chamber have reacted strongly to objections delaying what they say is the “first significant investment in this part of Limerick City in almost two decades”.
“The proposed development would be one of the first buildings people will see arriving at Colbert Station, where currently visitors are welcomed by dereliction and anti-social behaviour in spite of efforts by agencies of the state to revitalise the area,” the Chamber’s letter hit out.
“This proposed development is the first significant private investment in this part of Limerick City in almost two decades and will compliment the €20million spend on the remodelling of Colbert Station completed at the latter end of 2023,” the Chamber stated.
An Taisce – who work to preserve Ireland’s built heritage – also lodged an appeal against the development of 21 residential units in an eight-storey block on James Street and Upper Mallow Street.
In their appeal to this development, the organisation said the height of the building would “sunder the relationship of this street with the People’s Park” and that it would constitute “an opportunistic breaking of a well-established street line” on Mallow Street/Pery Street.
The Chamber again hit out in a second letter to the appeals body, regarding the James Street plans, saying that a “worryingly small” number of developments have been delivered in the city centre in recent years.
“To date Limerick has seen a worryingly small amount of private sector activity in the city centre,” the letter read.
“The development will be a positive step for an area that is, from time to time, an epicentre for anti-social behaviour and this development is a very progressive step in counteracting these issues.”
“The development is also an embodiment of the goals of Project Ireland 2040 and encouraging people to live in higher density areas, which to date, progress, at scale, has been minimal in Limerick City Centre.”
Speaking to the Limerick Post, Mr Golden said that, at a time of severe housing crisis in Limerick City, all housing developments in city’s bounds should be welcomed.
“Limerick Chamber has recently made the decision to become more proactive in supporting developments in key strategic areas such as the city centre,” he said.
“We are seeing key projects being appealed to An Bord Pleanála which is adding lengthy lead-in times to developments and putting them at risk.”
“We are in the middle of a housing crisis, and it would be our view that we should all be supporting housing projects that come forward, where appropriate, to ensure that we continue to provide housing for workers and students alike.”
“We must reward and create a positive environment for organisations that are willing to take the financial risk of developing. Hopefully the impending planning changes will help increase efficiencies in this sector,” Mr Golden concluded.
An Bord Pleanála are due to decide on the Railway Hotel development by the end of November and the James Street Development by December.
