Re: Re: well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

Huge extension to Parkway Retail Park
By John O’Shaughnessy
The Dublin Road area is taking on a new dimension with the extension to the Parkway Retail Park, a new 90 bedroomed hotel, discount store Aldi,

and retirement village at Castletroy Park Hotel, all within an area of a few hundred yards.

THE planned multi-million euro extension to the existing Parkway Retail Park, stretching to the Groody River, is up and running, and a new set of traffic lights has been installed at the sole entrance/exit, on the Dublin Road.

The bulldozers moved in recently for site preparation..

It has emerged that the owners Alocin Limited, intend to apply for permission for amendments/modifications to the development already sanctioned, for mixed use retail/commercial and leisure, and incorporating a public park on the site (6.89 ha). It is proposed to have parking spaces for almost 1,800 vehicles.

The site in question is at Singland, bounded by the N7 to the north, Parkway Retail Park, and Castletroy View to the west, Carn na Ree to the south and undeveloped lands stretching to the Groody River to the east.

The proposed changes include, reconfiguration of stair and lift cores, reduction and circulation/mall areas resulting in associated increase in depth/floor area of retail and restaurant units on ground floor mall;change of use of store area and incorporation into retail units G23 to G27 inclusive, change of use of unit G15 from restaurant to retail;and creation of three new retail units G29, 30 and G31, within eastern courtyard level plus 19.5m revision to previously approved access ramp to southern multi-storey car park, associated increase in depth/floor area of retail, bank, restaurant, library units and foodcourt area on first floor mall;provision of new car parking deck (172 new spaces). The overall number of car parking spaces on the site increases from 1,598 to 1,788.

The gross floor area of the development remains unchanged (75,142 sq m); however, a total of 5.154 sq m at ground and first floor retail levels is reallocated from “circulation/ancillary” uses as previously permitted to retail, restaurant, bank, foodcourt and library use.

Permission is also sought for revision to access/service road layout.

The Parkway Retail Park, originally the brainchild of Michael and Ralph Parkes, is a resounding success story.

It would appear that plans for a multiplex cinema on the site have been shelved.

Meanwhile, just down the road, and on the land once occupied by the former Oaklands Furniture, discount store Aldi, are ready to open their second Limerick outlet.

Alongside them is a new hotel, in the course of construction, in addition to a number of units aimed at retail and professional services.

One of the investors behind this project is local entrepreneur Joe Hanrahan, whose family home was a hundred yards away, at the top of Groody Hill.

Joe is son of Brian Hanrahan, who developed the Castle Oaks Hotel in Castleconnell, and one-time defender with both Limerick and Shelbourne AFC.