Concern raised as 85 new apartments planned for Limerick city centre
Council seeks more information from developer
COUNCIL planners have expressed “serious concerns” over a plan to build dozens of new apartments near Limerick’s historic city wall.
In a multi-million euro development, Double Ex Investments are seeking the go-ahead to construct 85 living spaces on land behind Little Gerald Griffin Street.
In order to do this, the developer is seeking to demolish a number of buildings, with the apartment blocks set to tower between three to eight storeys.
Five studio apartments are planned, alongside 37 one bed apartments, 37 two bed apartments and six with three beds.
But council has now sought the advice of government heritage experts in relation to the development.
That’s because the planning application is proposing the demolition of a warehouse/industrial unit at 24 Little Gerald Griffin Street.
On this site was the former Royal Garter Inn, which was adjacent to Playhouse Lane.
Colloquially known as Moloney’s Yard, remains of the Inn are still present at the site, listed as a protected structure - which means it can only be removed in exceptional circumstances.
Described as being “an important architectural presence” on the street, it contains one of the few stabling archways in the city.
In a letter to the developer, the council wrote: “The proposal to demolish a protected structure is not acceptable.”
The local authority ordered the developer to revise its application to “sensitively incorporate” the protected structure into its overall plan.
They also instructed the developer to assess other buildings which are earmarked to be developed to see if there is any merit in keeping them.
Due to its close proximity to the historic city wall, planners have said if any demolition does go ahead, the historic barriers will need to be protected with a buffer on either side.
Plans to build houses on the line of the wall, they added, are “not acceptable,” with a revised proposal ordered.
Concerns were also expressed at the height of the apartments, while the developer has also been asked to do a bat and bird survey.