Re: Re: well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?
Colonge Mike, in answer to how I would develop Clancy Strand, I’m going to give an overview of where I’d like to see Limerick evolve to over the next 20 years, since I don’t see this as a stand alone development. I would hope to use Clancy Strand as part of the city and see it as such. Forgetting politics of boundary extension for a second, it should be possible for Limerick City Council, Limerick County Council, Clare Clounty Council and even Tipperary North County Council (?) to get together and see how this region should grow. I would designate Ennis, Nenagh, and Newcastle West as important commuter centres and demand proper infrastucture (rail links etc) be put in place to allow people move between Limerick City and these towns.
Secondly, looking at Limerick city I think it’s important the reality of the size of Limerick is recognised, it’s absurd that 3 authorities are squabbling over the running of the 3rd largest city in Ireland, One authourity should be established and the creeping growth of the city should be arrested by focussed developments and a proper green belt of parks and argi land should be designated and maintained.
Within this new authourity, a clear growth plan should be adopted. I’m sure we’ve all heard rumours about the new houses proposed for Mungret, effectively Mungret is next in line to be swallowed by the city. Why should this be the case, there needs to be a clear divide between city and county. The new plan should focus on reviving urban living in the city. There’s plenty of derilict sites within the city proper that need to be redeveloped.
Which brings us to Clancy Strand. I think the entire city stretch of river, from the longpavement dump and the Island field to beyond Roches feeds and Clonmacken needs to be re-examined and decided how best to develop it. The Clancy strand development is but a fraction of that, I’m deeply suspicious of one-off developments that are frequently contrary to the best interests of the city as a whole.
Ideally, and I realise this post is bordering on the extremely fanciful, I would like to see various areas being given their own unique architecture, even down to unique bins and streetlights, so you’d know that once you entered Garryowen it was different to Watergate, which would be different to Thomondgate, Cornmarket, the Georgian district, the Docks etc. The Docks would all be highrise, any developments near the castle would need to in keeping it’s medieval character etc, the Georgian streets would be kept Georgian etc. Each area would have it’s limits within which all developments would be designed and approved.
To me, the Clancy Strand apartments aren’t stand alone, but rather crucial as to how that area will continue to be developed. Given the age of the buildings involved I’d rather see a civic use found for the existing buildings, whether as an Art Gallery facing the Hunt muesum, a muesum on the history of the Shannon river etc. Let apartment blocks be built in the areas of town that need urgent revitalising, like Parnell Street, John street etc. I would also like to see John’s Sq changed from it’s current carpark format to some kind of green/public space but that’s another topic.
