Tuborg

@Dan Sullivan wrote:

I wonder if the existing Parkway might go once the new place is up and running. A large residential development might be interesting there.

Yeah, the existing shopping centre will be flattened, probably once the new complex across the road is up and running. Apparently its to be replaced by a high density scheme of apartments, a hotel and more shopping space. Also the former Dillons garage site just off the parkway roundabout has recently been bought up, an apartment complex is also said to be planned for here.

Ever since the new investors took over from regeneration developments, theres been speculation that they wanted to alter the plans for the centre. I think the Limerick leader had it a few months back that the new owners would submit a revised application by the end of this year. I really cant see how the granary could be incorporated into the shopping centre, seen as its a protected structure I would be wary of any attempts to alter it in any way, hopefully the City Council would take a similar view!

There is a glass office block built inside the Granary courtyard, whether this is what they have their eyes on, im not sure. There are a large number of businesses based in that building and it would be a big task to relocate them all. I really wish they’d get a move on, the vast swathes of empty buildings on Patrick St/ Rutland St and Ellen Street are doing nothing for the city centre.:(

Below
Newly restored Granary c.1985
Prior to restoration, 1970s

Ah, I could live with the loss of Aurthurs Quay park to be honest! It was a great idea at the time but sadly its never lived up to its potential, unfortunately it never really gained the peoples trust, primarily due to those ridiculous railings that shut it off from the city centre! Amazingly after almost 20 years of lobbying the railings have still yet to be removed, the City Council did announce a few weeks back that a buyer had been found for them and that their removal would start “shortly”:rolleyes:

I think the fact that the plan has been designed with creating quality public spaces in mind, more than makes up for the loss of the park. The proposal is definitely worth considering, but of course its hard to make a proper judgement on it as we havent seen the plans in detail yet!. Annoyingly the plans still havent been uploaded to the City council website!:o

A very interesting and welcome proposal to bring the Milk Market into more regular use!

Dynamic makeover for market

WHAT promises to be one of the most colourful projects to be undertaken in Limerick city in years, is a dynamic multi-million redevelopment of the Milk Market which is over 150 years old.

The Market Trustees will shortly seek planning permission for a radical plan to enhance and extend the market into a six-day operation with daytime and evening attractions that will see a distinctive tensile roof structure being erected over the market that will preserve the open-air atmosphere and will be illuminated at night to make the historic market square a unique city landmark.

Viewing the development as a catalyst for rejuvenating the area, the Limerick Market Trustee chairman, David O’Mahony is enthusiastic in his forecast that the area will become a “must visit” city attraction.

“The Milk Market currently opens for six to eight hours just one day a week – on Saturday, but this unique public space has huge potential for a variety of activities, like evening attractions, children’s entertainment, a mini Hyde Park Corner, in other words a space that will be attractive to a multiple of micro-businesses with other changeable attractions around them”

Mr O’Mahony stressed that local small business start-ups will have an opportunity to use the area as a showcase for their talent.

A major feature of the old market square will be a good quality restaurant extending from the first floor of Market House to overlook a number of stalls and enjoy daytime and evening entertainment. And the traditional Farmer’s Market, which will continue on Saturdays, will be developed to include arts and crafts operating on different days.

Market Trustee member, Cllr John Gilligan has given an enthusiastic welcome to the development, which is due to get underway once planning permission has been given.

“For a long time we’ve wanted to expand the market’s potential and to this end we sought the professional expertise of an English group that very successfully runs markets, who conducted a study and were very adamant that we had to change or the market would die.

“We will have to be mindful of a number of listed buildings surrounding the market – only two are owned by us, the others are private property but we will work in conjunction with them and while construction work is going on we will probably transfer the farmer’s market to the Potato Market on Merchant’s Quay.”

Encouraged by the popularity of the Riverside Market which got underway on Bedford Row and Thomas Street during the summer, the Market Trustees recognised the demand for a greater variety of markets.

The six-day opening of the Milk Market will evolve gradually, starting with the provision of six permanent units near Market House that will be anchors for other stallholders and traders.

Mr O’Mahony said it had been decided to weatherproof the market roof to make it sustainable and attractive to farmers, traders and the people of Limerick city and county. He confirmed there will be full consultation with all stakeholders and traders n the development and that their views will be taken on board.

Limerick Post 18th October 2007

New Maternity Hospital for Limerick?

So it seems a decision has finally been made to re-locate to the Mid western regional hospital in Dooradoyle! This was first mooted some years back but with little commitment to funding coming from the government, it looked like a modest redevelopment of the current hospital was on the cards. St Munchins hospital occupies a prime site on the Ennis Road, just across Sarsfield Bridge, no doubt it will be much sought after by developers when it becomes available!

HARNEY DELIVERS NEW MATERNITY PLEDGE
By CLODAGH O’LEARY

THE Mid-West is set to get a new maternity hospital, it was confirmed this week, after the project was named by Minister for Health Mary Harney as the number one priority in the HSE Capital Plan 2007-2011 in a meeting in the city.

Minister for Defence, Willie O’Dea and Limerick West Fianna Fail Deputy, Niall Collins met with Minister Harney this Monday during her day-long visit to Limerick, along with senior medical and administrative staff of St Munchin’s Maternity Hospital to highlight the case for a new state-of-the-art maternity hospital for the region.

The Dail deputies were told that €50m has been allocated in the four-year plan to deliver the project, and the estimated completion date has been set at September 2011.

In a joint statement following the meeting, Deputy Niall Collins and Minister O’Dea stated: “It is critical that a new maternity hospital be provided on the site of the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle.”

“The existing capacity in the Ennis Road facility puts huge pressure on all medical and nursing staff in what is already an area with huge responsibility. It is not good enough in this day and age to have to transfer critical cases across Limerick City, approximately a 6km journey should the need arise.”

St Munchin’s Maternity Hospital in Limerick was built in 1961 to cater for an annual birth rate of 3,500. The estimated birth rate for 2007 will be in the region of 5,200, and when one analyses the recent census the projected birth rate will grow to 6,500 per annum over the coming years. It is critical that a new maternity hospital be provided on the site of the Mid Western regional hospital in Dooradoyle” said Cllr Collins.

Limerick Chronicle 09 October 2007

Incidentally the future of the Council owned sports grounds at the rear of St Munchins hospital has also been in the news recently! Im sure Limerick City Council are keeping a close eye on developments here, mouths salivating at the thoughts of a major windfall no doubt!:rolleyes:

Sale fears at sports venue

THE blatant “hands off” warning issued to Limerick City Council by Limerick Athletic Club, the anchor tenant of the LPYMA grounds, will do little to quell the growing unease that a lucrative sale of the prime Ennis Road site is on the cards.

Councillors for the northside have repeatedly called on City Council to declare its hand regarding the future of the venue, zoned recreational.

Their requests have been side-stepped. City Hall officials promised to deliver “a report” on future plans. The most recent of a report, “before Christmas”, was given by director of services, Pat Dowling, who has refused to clarify the focus of the report.

While speculation has been rife for some time that with a suitable site required to accommodate the construction of proposed new and larger Regional Maternity Hospital, the adjacent LPYMA Grounds would fit into plans. Meanwhile, should the hospital be relocated elsewhere, the two sites combined would provide a valuable inner city 4.6 acre land bank for the City Council.

Northiside councillor, Michael Hourigan, has been asking questions about the grounds since he was elected to the council in 1999.

“I’m totally against a property developer going in and I, and the other councillors, will oppose any such development. Despite our questions down through the years, we’ve been given no concrete information – the silence is suspicious and we’re being fobbed off with unsatisfactory assurances that reports will soon be presented to us, but no information on what the reports are commenting on.

“As a local councillor, I want the LPYMA retained as open space for the people to house a multipurpose facility for athletics and sports for all age groups – it should not become the property of any one sports organisation”.

Pointing out that it would take a unanimous vote from all the

councillors to change the zoning status, he commented that while City Hall executives “are transient, it is the people who live on the city’s northside who should benefit and the communal use the land can be put to, in an area which is so devoid of sports, leisure and recreational facilities”.

A spokesperson for the Limerick Athletic Club, tenant’s since 1935, said they are worried by the “constant speculation by other clubs and property developers who eye up the property which we possess – we don’t want to be eliminated by stealth from our home. As it is, we have title and the least we’d expect is to be consulted if any alterations are to be carried out to our home”.

Pat Dowling was unavailable for comment before going to press

@CologneMike wrote:

By the way do you think that the cut stone bridge needs improvement? I mean with these flowerpots / baskets swinging from it’s side or these “Christmas” lights hanging from lamp post to lamp post like Brighton pier? In my opinion they visibly just clutter up the bridge? It’s a beautiful bridge, needs only maintenance i.e. weed cleaning etc. As for lighting, just only emphasise the underneath arches with floodlights.

Its always annoyed me, how little maintenance Sarsfield Bridge appears to get, the stone work is badly stained from traffic fumes and general weathering and theres fairly extensive vegetation growing on parts of it! I remember reading somewhere that the last proper spruce up the bridge received was for the European bridge heritage year (or something like that) in the mid 1970s!:(

I can just about live with the hanging baskets during the summer, in fairness I can see the city councils reasoning in having them but I definitely agree about the fairy lights! Initially they were put up for Christmas about 2 years ago, it seems they couldnt be bothered taking them down! Its shameful the way they’ve been hung along the old gas lanterns!

Sarsfield Bridge is a very under-rated structure to the extent that most locals wouldnt even think twice about it! It has a very interesting history and until the late 1980s was the main road bridge in the city!

This piece comes from The building of the Sarsfield Bridge by Padraig O MaidÍn]
The westward expansion of Limerick and the growth of its commerce made the construction of a new bridge across the Shannon and the improvement of the harbour facilities a vital necessity. A movement to further this objective soon developed and, accordingly, the people of the city petitioned Parliament for a new bridge and floating dock.

The decision to build the bridge was taken in 1823 when the Wellesley Bridge Act was passed at Westminster and forty- seven people were appointed to carry out the terms of the Act. These men were known as the Limerick Bridge Commissioners, they supervised the building of the bridge and later improved the quays on both sides of the river, levying tolls and dues to help finance this work. Since 1847 this body has been known as the Limerick Harbour Commissioners.

The preamble to the Act set out the wealth and importance of the city, the increase of its commerce and the want of direct communication with the counties Clare and Galway except by the very old and narrow Thomond Bridge, “inconveniently remote from the new and trading parts of the city”. Thomond Bridge, which was to be rebuilt a few years later, was so narrow that no pathways had been provided only small recesses over the pillars where pedestrians could take refuge from vehicles passing each other.

“No one applied himself more zealously to the successful realization of this project than Mr. Thomas Spring Rice, M.P. concluded Maurice Lenihan. Commissioners were soon appointed for building the new bridge, which was called after the Lord Lieutenant of the time, the Marquis of Wellesley. A grant of 60,000 was approved for the work and for the construction of the proposed docks. It was decided to build the bridge from Brunswick (now Sarsfield) Street, across the Shannon to the North Strand. A Scottish engineer, Alexander Nimmo, who had built the imposing Spring Rice pillar in the People’s Park, was chosen to design the bridge. He selected as his model the beautiful Pont Neiully over the Seine which, incidentally, had been the model in 1789 for the first St. Patrick’s Bridge in Cork, which was demolished in 1839. The original Pont Neuilly was destroyed during the Siege of Paris in 1870.

The foundation stone of the new bridge was laid on October 25, 1824 by John Fitzgibbon, Earl of Clare, son of the notorious “Black Jack”, and “was attended with all possible ceremony and eclat”. The Fitzgibbon family had another link with the bridge. A monument to a grandson of “Black Jack”, Lord Viscount Fitzgibbon, was placed on the bridge in 1855 to commemorate his death, in the Crimean War. This statue has been replaced by the 1916 memorial. The bridge had five arches of equal span, a swivel bridge, and also two land arches for the convenience of quay traffic. It took eleven years to complete and cost £89,061, that is 50% more than estimated, and was opened by the then Lord Lieutenant Mulgrave, on August 5, 1835. The work gave much needed employment but there were many who saw the bridge as an advantage only to the landed gentry on the Clare side of the city, and indeed as being a disadvantage to the real interests of the citizens.

Maurice Lenihan records that during the years spent on building the bridge, the new docks that had been promised below the bridge and which had been provided for in the Wellesley Act of 1823, lay in abeyance
and the merchants of the city were forced to pay exorbitant dues for an unfinished bridge which inconveniently interfered with the traffic of the port.

The parapet of the bridge at the west (or Clare) side was originally much handsomer than at present, being an exact replica of the east side. What brought about the change was the damage caused to the western parapet and a number of ballustrades during the terrifying storm of January 6, 1839, when some ships were battered against the bridge. The Commissioners decided to be pennywise and forever foolish in replacing the broken parapet with solid ‘sparrow-picked’ stone. The tolls on the bridge proved irksome and injurious to trade and eventually in 1883 it was made free of toll. Immediately, the Corporation held a meeting and changed the name of the bridge from Wellesley to Sarsfield and erected a plaque in the centre of the east parapet giving the new name. It was remarked at the time that the Town Council ‘had many who are of the National League and Home Rule type, who desire a severance of the Union’. A remark which had at least the merit of being obvious.

A report published on July 16, 1831, gives us an insight into the state of society in Limerick during the building of the bridge. We learn of citizens stratified into “commen men”, “gentlemen”, and “landed gentry”, we hear of “young bucks” who spent their leisure (i.e. their lives) boating on the Shannon, parading on the Crescent with the ladies, enjoying at least one glass of punch with their dinner, after which they retired to cock-fighting, billiards playing, and a late sojourn at Martin Power’s Oyster Cellar in Shannon Street. Such living was bound to end in a brawl occasionally, particularly when all the amusements took place on the one day, as they did on May 2 1831 when John and Edgar Clements, sons of the contractor for the new bridge, became involved with Roger Scully, jnr., and two of his followers, Michael Stack and Patrick Wallace, in the Oyster Cellar,which was also known as Tattersalls. Into the brawl on the side of the Clements brothers came “common men”, so described by Martin Power’s wife, who got herself a “lick” on the occasion.:D

One of the witnesses, Thomas Morony, an intimate of Roger Scully, denied that he had taken twenty-six tumblers of punch at his dinner that evening. He was unable to say how many he had taken because he had not counted them, but stated that he would be “obnubliated” after ten tumblers. He distinguished various stages of inebriation, as he had experienced them: Being impudent, extremely impudent, excited, wildly excited, and basely drunk.
[/QUOTE]

Photo from Liam M. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tir_na_nog/

Photo courtesy thekatespanos http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekatespanos/

Attached:

1. Sarsfield Bridge C.1940
2.Wellesley Bridge C.1850

Latest on the Redemptorists development on the South Circular Road

Order asked to revise plans for 300 units

Traffic congestion feared if original plan is passed.

THE Redemptorist Order has been asked to withdraw its planning application for almost 300 apartments at the rear of the existing monastery on the SCRd. Cllr Joe Leddin criticises the application as “totally unacceptable” on traffic grounds alone.

Opposition also comes from Cllr Pat Kennedy, who advises Limerick City Council to refuse it “in its present form”.

Paying tribute to the Redemptorists for the significant contribution it has made, particularly to the educational life of Limerick, he says: “We should do our best to accommodate them but it must be for a suitable development”.

Cllr Leddin said it is his understanding that City Hall engineers have concerns regarding the “massive negative impact on traffic,” that the development would generate.

“It’s obvious that the scale and the impending impact on traffic volumes within the vicinity, arising from the construction of 286 apartments, would be catastrophic,” he says.

Cllrs Maria Byrne, Jim Long, Pat Kennedy and Leddin complained that traffic congestion is also a daily issue on such adjacent streets as Gerard Street, Quinn Street and New Street.

“If approved, this proposed development, which would generate some 400 additional cars, will lead to utter chaos throughout the entire area, which, apart from being residential, also has a number of primary and secondary schools located nearby”.

The councillors stress that they are not opposed to a refurbishment of the monastery building and the construction of a new school and a creche, but that the number of apartments envisioned is too dense.

Continued Leddin:”I, along with my colleagues, were successful in our efforts to oppose a similar type application to the rear of Punch’s Bar, in favour of a low density development of semi-detached houses. I see as much more suitable to this location the development of a low density 56-house complex”.

Acknowledging that the development as it stands would create significant traffic problems in the area, senior planner, Dick Tobin, said that it is the planning department’s experience that when an application goes to an Bord Pleanala “it goes into a lottery”.

“We will be asking the applicants for further information, particularly in relation to traffic and the scale of the development, but it is not likely that we will consider this application any further until we get it into some more acceptable form,” he said

@CologneMike wrote:

Tuborg, the real clowns are across the river in the planning department, as they seem to be caught unprepared for this planning request with no development plan in place for Clancy Strand.

In fairness that happens to be a pretty regular occurance, we have unfortunately a very reactive rather than proactive planning department in Limerick who can never be relied on to make the right decision ! Its little wonder that the city has developed in such a haphazard manner, the lack of a co-ordinated development plan has led to a fairly severe imbalance in the level of development throughout the city!

We dont need to look too far either for yet more controversy, the whole issue of the redemptorists development fairly exploded last week as we’ve seen! A large development on that site has been on the cards for a good few years now and coupled with the general level of development in that area, a well thought out traffic management plan you’d think would be essential! However as it turns out, the plan has only just been finalised and hasnt yet been made public , I could be cynical and suggest that the only reason they’ve finally completed it is because so many residents are up in arms! What was that about the council being reactive?:rolleyes:

Major concern at traffic flow on city’s southside

by Marie Hobbins

THE urgency of producing traffic plans for Punch’s Cross and the South Circular Road has been stressed by Cllr Joe Leddin to members of City Council’s Transportation Strategic Policy Committee.

Referring to the development being carried out on the site of the former Dan Ryan’s Garage at Punch’s Cross, the councillor said he is inundated with queries from local people on the problems caused to motorists on this congested road area.

“There’s also a need for a traffic plan in view of the major development coming on stream on the Redemptorist Church site, which will impact hugely on the South Circular Road and such adjacent streets as New Street and Gerard Street”.

Cllr Pat Kennedy also stressed the need for new traffic plans for the areas referred to by his colleague.

“It had been previously agreed that a traffic plan for Punch’s would be delivered and the same is required for the South Circular Road,” he said.

Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon reminded the committee that a meeting organised to address traffic calming measures in Ward 2 has not yet taken place, and he called for some action to be taken.

An assurance was given to Cllr Leddin and Cllr Kennedy that a meeting will be held shortly to “go through plans in relation to coming up with solutions to the traffic situation at Punch’s Cross.

In relation to the Redemptorist development, Mr Dromey said the Council’s Traffic Management Department has completed a traffic report which will be issued to the local councillors for their observations.

Clancy Strand Apartments

The dispute between Clancy Strand residents and the developer Ger Wall is turning out to be a fairly ugly affair! An image of the proposed development appeared on the front page of the limerick leader city edition on friday in what I would consider to be a pure publicity stunt! Mr Wall is clearly trying to portray his development as cutting edge & modern:D when in reality we all know that the finished product will be yet another pile of rubbish! I like the piece about “making the Hilton apartments look like social housing” What a ridiculous attempt to talk up his little project! some would say the Hilton apartments already look like social housing!:rolleyes:

Its high time for Limerick city council to get the finger out and stop letting clowns like Mr Wall dictate the development of the city!

BITTER BATTLE OF CLANCY STRAND

By ANNE SHERIDAN

THE MAN behind the controversial €10 million residential development on Clancy Strand has spoken out for the first time to emphasise that only a fraction of the proposed building will be seven storeys in height.
City businessman Gerard Wall, a resident of Clancy Strand, said if the project is given the green light by Limerick City Council it will make the apartments next to the Hilton hotel “look like social housing”.

To date, 23 objections have been lodged against the proposed development and residents say they intend to take their case to An Bord Pleanala if the planning department approve the application.

“I would fully expect it go to An Bord Pleanala but the majority of the people on Clancy Strand are in favour of the development. We’ve done exactly what the planners have asked of us and they have endorsed the designs,” said Mr Wall.

Mr Wall originally sought to demolish three historic buildings on Clancy Strand – Strandville, Roseville and Curragour House – to construct 49 apartments.

Under a revised application this figure has been reduced to 41 apartments, and a portion of the development has been raised in height to seven stories. The style of the building has also been changed from neo-classical to contemporary.

“The majority of the development is three to four storeys; only one sixth amounts to seven storeys. After receiving feedback from the public, the council asked us to make it contemporary and cutting edge and that is what we’ve done,” he said, adding that without the tower “the whole development would fall flat”.

Since the original planning application was lodged last May, Roseville or Jackson’s Turret, as it is more commonly known, is now a listed building and is proposed to be incorporated into the new development. Mr Wall owns Jackson’s Turret and lives there with his family. He said it will be “refurbished as if it was 1765” and at a cost of €500,000.

But one resident believes “the new revised plans are worse than the originals”. Anne Hanrahan, who has resided in the area for 50 years, said she is “distraught that this proposal is even being considered” and Leyden Hassett Associates are now representing her case.

The final date for receipt of objections is this Friday and the planning office is expected to reach a decision by September 20.

Limerick Leader 07 September 2007

Redevelopment at Thomas Street/Catherine Street

These 2 developments have just been given the go-ahead in the week gone by, located opposite each other on Catherine Street.

07142 consists of the redevelopment of what was a near derelict corner site into retail,office and apartment space in a 5 storey over basement building. The architects are Carr Associates however I couldnt find any plans of the proposed development. The site was cleared a few months back but the developers then submitted revised plans which have now been approved!(See the 1st attachment)

07142

Ley’s Development Ltd

to modify a previous planning permission granted under planning reference 02/270 at No.’s 44, 45, 46 and 47 Thomas Street (No.47 Thomas Street, currently known as No. 1 Catherine Street) and No’s 2, 3, 4and 5 Catherine Street. This application includes for the construction of a mixed development of retail units at ground and basement level, offices and retail at first floor level, offices at 02nd to 4th floors inclusive and 7 apartments at 5th floor level including all associated site works and demolition of the existing premises including the residential accommodation over at No’s 44, 45, 46 and 47 Thomas Street (No. 47 Thomas Street currently known as No. 1 Catherine Street) and demoliton of the existing premises at No’s 2,3,4 and 5 Catherine Street.

44, 45, 46 and 47 Thomas Street
(No. 47 Thomas Street Currently know as No. 1 Catherine Street, Limerick
& Nos. 2-5 Catherine Street, Limerick.

On the opposite side of the street the plan is for a redevelopment of Thomond House which currently houses O Riadas bar (the beige building in 2nd image below). Strangely they only intend to keep the facade of no.73 when no.72 seems just as worthy of retention!:confused: In my opinion a five storey modern building would look hopelessly out of place here, ruining the character of this section of the street, surely the retention of 72 and 73 is much more preferable!

0714

for (1) Demolition of existing building with the exception of (A) the front facade to No. 73 which is to be retained and upgraded and (B) the vault storage areas under the public footpath/road area to be also retained. (2) The erection of 5-storey building over basement consisting of cafe/bar and storage unit at basement level, retail unit at ground floor level, 10 No. apartments on the upper 4 floors complete with communal roof garden. (3) Provision of new foul/storm drainage and watermain connections and associated site works.

Thomond House,
72/73 Catherine Street/
Augustinian Lane, Limerick.

Image #1 from LimerickBlogger