Limerick improvement projects

Sal Butamol

2030 will come and go and nothing will be done

dominatinMC

Sal Butamol wrote: »

2030 will come and go and nothing will be done

Yep, and the obvious fear is that all these plans/proposals, etc. will fall victim to the next economic crash which, if history has taught us anything, can't be too far away. The glacial pace of the developments in Limerick is a joke.

tototoe

Vanquished wrote: »

The levels of ineptitude and incompetence displayed by Limerick Council/Limerick 2030 DAC in managing the development of the 'opera' site are truly staggering. It has been in their possession for seven years now and we still don't even have a solid coherent plan for the vast site. The planning application which was to be progressed by means of the Part 8 process and finalised by September 2017 was quietly dropped because unbelievably the Council had failed to adhere to the applicable statutory procedures. So we've lost another year and there is still no sign of a fresh application which will likely be submitted to An Bord Pleanala this time around.


Incidentally they made a similar cock-up on the O'Connell Street remodelling scheme. That project has been stuck in limbo since June 2017 because yet again the Council botched the management of the application and failed to satisfy the necessary criteria. You couldn't make this ****e up!

Its absolutely bonkers how slowly things are moving alright. O'Connell Street and Patrick Street are absolutely disgraceful, the state they are in and not a notion off things moving on.

panda100

tototoe wrote: »

Its absolutely bonkers how slowly things are moving alright. O'Connell Street and Patrick Street are absolutely disgraceful, the state they are in and not a notion off things moving on.

O'Connell Street now actually looks far worse than when I moved home 4 years ago. The city is dead and is currently a very lifeless and boring city to live in. After my masters I'll be back up to Dublin. The city showed signs of resurrection and life post City of Culture but has actually regressed imo. I don't plan on hanging around and living in a city that is going to take decades for it to be even somewhat liveable in. It's sad as Limerick has a huge amount of potential but this thread just indicates that nothing is going to change in Limerick anytime soon.

mdmix

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The only firm proposals from Limerick 2030 were the Gardens and the Opera centre. They own the Cleaves site but no proposals have been made for what they're going to do with it. What other sites do they own?

The Bonham Docks development in Galway that just got permission is mainly commercial and only has student accommodation. It is the only major development in Galway with permission. There are plans for development near Eyre Square and the train station, but at the minute they're only pie in the sky plans. Just like Limerick. Have a look at the Galway forums on Skyscrapercity. The locals are not happy and are actually jealous of Limerick!

And as for Cork. Get real. It's over 3 times larger than Limerick, with a much larger economy and has plenty of central brown field sites. Developers are always going there before places like Limerick. Like I said earlier there is little private development anywhere in the county outside of Dublin and Cork.

Countless politicians, council officials and limerick 2030 personnel drip fed info and regurgitated press releases over the last number of years. Limerick 2030, the concept and the “specific purpose vehicle” have been over hyped, oversold and misrepresented.

350 student beds approved in Galway is more than 0 student beds approved in limerick. Also a developer has been appointed by CIE to build the 400 apartments.

Ok let’s get real, Cork city has a population of 125k at the last census, so your talking rubbish. I brought up cork because when limerick 2030 was created council members were talking about limerick ambitions of becoming the second city, it’s not something I believed or even though was realistic. At the time there were no signs of any developments in cork, now there are a number of sites at various stages of construction or finished and only one in limerick, nearly finished.

By he time the opera site is finished there will be an over supply of office space in Ireland and limerick 2030 will struggle to let it, and to top it off we will still not have any decent housing in the city.

Cookiemunster

mdmix wrote: »

Countless politicians, council officials and limerick 2030 personnel drip fed info and regurgitated press releases over the last number of years. Limerick 2030, the concept and the “specific purpose vehicle” have been over hyped, oversold and misrepresented.

350 student beds approved in Galway is more than 0 student beds approved in limerick. Also a developer has been appointed by CIE to build the 400 apartments.

There has been no application made for that CIE development. It's at the exact same stage as the Opera center. And if the redevelopment of Colbert Station is anything to go by, I wouldn't be holding my breath about CIE getting it going any time soon. And a 23 storey tower on Eyre Square is never going to get the go ahead.

mdmix wrote: »

Ok let’s get real, Cork city has a population of 125k at the last census, so your talking rubbish.

That 125K doesn't include any of Corks suburbs outside the city boundary. Limericks 104K includes all its suburbs and villages like Castleconnell and Patrickswell. Cork is way bigger than Limerick and that's not going to change any time soon.

mdmix wrote: »

At the time there were no signs of any developments in cork, now there are a number of sites at various stages of construction or finished and only one in limerick, nearly finished.

I'm pretty sure I saw a huge courts complex being build over the last few years. Maybe I was dreaming it? How many of these Cork developments are publicly funded? I'm pretty sure every one is private. As I said earlier Cork was always going to attract private investment before anywhere other than Dublin. Parkway Valley is the first sign that private developers are coming back to Limerick.


And BTW, just because you hadn't heard of possible developments in Cork doesn't mean they weren't already in planning.


If you think that Limerick is so far behind everywhere else I'd suggest again that you head over to the ROI forum on Skyscrapercity and have a look at what's been said about all the other cities. Spoiler they're all bitching about their own cities and many (especially Galwegians) are praising Limerick.

Vanquished

The primary reason why there are a large number of projects either underway or in planning etc. in Cork is because there are a number of prominent local developers who have come out the other side of the economic crash. They have a portfolio of sites and properties and have managed to source the requisite levels of funding to finance these projects.


We don't have any active developers in Limerick at the moment and the almost complete absence of private investment in the city centre especially, is an illustration of that.

bigpink

Vanquished wrote: »

The primary reason why there are a large number of projects either underway or in planning etc. in Cork is because there are a number of prominent local developers who have come out the other side of the economic crash. They have a portfolio of sites and properties and have managed to source the requisite levels of funding to finance these projects.


We don't have any active developers in Limerick at the moment and the almost complete absence of private investment in the city centre especially, is an illustration of that.

Loads of developers in Limerick but they burned many people so people won’t work for them.Also they sitting on property and happy getting rent in cash and untaxed ways

Cookiemunster

Work has finally started on LITs Coonagh campus. Only a year late. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/335793/construction-begins-at-limerick-its-new-campus-as-funding-of-11-6m-confirmed.html

zulutango

A "knowledge corridor" along the Northern Distributor Road. Kudos to whoever dreamt up that piece of marketing spin.

damowill

panda100 wrote: »

O'Connell Street now actually looks far worse than when I moved home 4 years ago. The city is dead and is currently a very lifeless and boring city to live in. After my masters I'll be back up to Dublin. The city showed signs of resurrection and life post City of Culture but has actually regressed imo. I don't plan on hanging around and living in a city that is going to take decades for it to be even somewhat liveable in. It's sad as Limerick has a huge amount of potential but this thread just indicates that nothing is going to change in Limerick anytime soon.

If only Boards did 'Memories' ... be interesting to see where you are in 5 - 10 years time

Vanquished

zulutango wrote: »

A "knowledge corridor" along the Northern Distributor Road. Kudos to whoever dreamt up that piece of marketing spin.

Hilarious stuff alright. A "knowledge corridor" requires a road in the digital age apparently.

panda100

damowill wrote: »

If only Boards did 'Memories' ... be interesting to see where you are in 5 - 10 years time

Far away from this god forsaken town anyways!

I see the rugby museum has been delayed yet again

Mc Love

panda100 wrote: »

Far away from this god forsaken town anyways!

I see the rugby museum has been delayed yet again

Great we wont have to listen to your moaning anymore

Cookiemunster

panda100 wrote: »

Far away from this god forsaken town anyways!

I see the rugby museum has been delayed yet again

You do know that that delay has absolutely nothing to do with anybody in or associated with Limerick council don't you? Dublin based An Taisce appealed the planning and Dublin based An Bord Pleanala have a backlog of cases causing the delay.

panda100

Cookiemunster wrote:

You do know that that delay has absolutely nothing to do with anybody in or associated with Limerick council don't you? Dublin based An Taisce appealed the planning and Dublin based An Bord Pleanala have a backlog of cases causing the delay.

Yes I am well aware of that. Didn't say anything to the contrary in my post?

pigtown

panda100 wrote: »

Far away from this god forsaken town anyways!

God forsaken? How so?

MrLaurel

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You do know that that delay has absolutely nothing to do with anybody in or associated with Limerick council don't you? Dublin based An Taisce appealed the planning and Dublin based An Bord Pleanala have a backlog of cases causing the delay.

Might be Dublin based but the primary / serial objectors are from Limerick.

"Emma Gilleece is authorised to make planning submissions to the Local Authority and to recommend appeals for approval by An Taisce Advocacy Head Office".

keane2097

In case anyone is interested, the Irish Skyscraper City forum mentioned a few times is here:

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1600

panda100

pigtown wrote: »

God forsaken? How so?

I want to be optimistic about Limerick, I really do, and I'm generally a fairly positive person but aside from Gardens International (which is just more office space) and possibly the bike scheme and UL pathway what improvements have taken place in Limerick over the last 5 years? be they physical, social, cultural or otherwise?

Cookiemunster

panda100 wrote: »

I want to be optimistic about Limerick, I really do, and I'm generally a fairly positive person but aside from Gardens International (which is just more office space) and possibly the bike scheme and UL pathway what improvements have taken place in Limerick over the last 5 years? be they physical, social, cultural or otherwise?

Straight off the top of my head, Colbert Station Plaza, Parnell St./Davis St. upgrade, redevelopment of the flats on Hyde Rd, new housing development at the old clothing factory on Edward St. and the new courts complex.

panda100

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Colbert Station Plaza, Parnell St./Davis St. upgrade

Neither of these were positive improvements imo. No sign of the bike station opening in Colbert station though the National Transport Authority said it due to open in April. Davis Street and Parnell Street are pretty much exactly the same and a nightmare to navigate on anything except 4 wheels. Slightly wider pavements on Davis Street possibly.

Social housing developments are fair enough and The court complex does look good in fairness. Social housing and criminal courts really don't make Limerick anymore attractive to live in for me though.

Cookiemunster

panda100 wrote: »

Neither of these were positive improvements imo. No sign of the bike station opening in Colbert station though the National Transport Authority said it due to open in April. Davis Street and Parnell Street are pretty much exactly the same and a nightmare to navigate on anything except 4 wheels. Slightly wider pavements on Davis Street possibly.

Social housing developments are fair enough and The court complex does look good in fairness. Social housing and criminal courts really don't make Limerick anymore attractive to live in for me though.

You asked for improvements, I provided them. Your opinions on them doesn't change the fact that they were done.

zulutango

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You asked for improvements, I provided them. Your opinions on them doesn't change the fact that they were done.

"Improvements" is a subjective term, therefore one's opinion determines whether they are improvements or not.

nim1bdeh38l2cw

Cookiemunster wrote: »

You do know that that delay has absolutely nothing to do with anybody in or associated with Limerick council don't you? Dublin based An Taiscezulutango appealed the planning and Dublin based An Bord Pleanala have a backlog of cases causing the delay.

Fixed that for you.

zulutango

I'm an innocent man :pac:

Limerick500

Yes An Taisce Head Office is based in Dublin but the submission was written by the Limerick Association of An Taisce.

kilburn

zulutango wrote:

"Improvements" is a subjective term, therefore one's opinion determines whether they are improvements or not.

It must be very hard being so knowledgable and downright condescending to any opinion other than yours in this forum

zulutango

🙄

Vanquished

An Taisce are perfectly entitled to make submissions on planning applications. There is a shocking apathy and lack of engagement in Limerick towards the architectural heritage of the city. We seem intent on repeating the mistakes of the past when monstrosities such the AIB bank, George Hotel, Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Cruises Street etc etc. were inflicted upon the city at the expense of buildings of architectural and historical significance.

The 'development at all costs' mentality has inflicted massive damage upon the city centre. Many people seem to be sold on this so-called rugby experience simply because Paul O'Connell is the public face of the project or the constant PR generated hype portraying rugby as the very essence of life in Limerick. Therefore it must go ahead and sure who cares if a couple more historical buildings are lost along the way.

I don't really have anything against a project like this in principle. But the location is all wrong. Shoehorning an incongruous ignorant lump of a building in to a constrained site in the middle of an Architectural Conservation Area is lunacy and should be refused out of hand if we have a functioning planning system. I'd far rather see a facility like this built near the train station, in the Market area or Kings Island for example.