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

why should it be a welcome addition to the area because of its size?

That’s a good question that doesn’t seem to be asked in Limerick. This sort of development represents a shift of economic resources away from the centre of town, making it more and more difficult to improve the city centre environment. Ever wonder why the old images of O’Connell St are so beautiful even during times when the economy was weak (compared to now when the region is booming economically)? It’s because at the time it was the retail heart of the city (and region) and so the economic activity generated wealth which was reflected in the quality of the buildings and the environment. Every new out-of-town shopping centre built around the periphery of Limerick only makes it less likely that large successful retailers will set up shop in the centre of town. O’Connell St. will end up full of pound-shops and burger joints (this is happening already) while all the new high-quality retail development goes into out-of-town shopping centres.

The situation with the bickering over the city boundary contributes to this process by making it impossible to implement a proper planning policy. But even if the boundary problem was fixed, I feel the general attitude towards planning and development among the general public in LImerick would be reflected in the council’s decisions – there is little appreciation of the idea that the city centre should be the focus of development and only when it cannot be developed any further should the planners start looking further out.