Permission to be sought for 167 new apartments in Limerick
PLANNING permission is to be sought for a new residential development on the northside of Limerick city- at land which has lain idle for over a decade.
Developers are seeking the green light to redevelop the former Ardhú site off North Circular Road/Ennis Road.
As part of the proposed development, 167 new apartments are planned across five new blocks. This is in addition to four apartments that will be developed at the former Ardhú House and seven two-story homes that will also be built.
The Leader last year revealed that a masterplan had been started at the site, with Conack Construction starting material refurbishment of the existing residential building.
The man behind the project is Aidan Brooks, of property development firm Tribeca Holdings, who purchased the 4.8-acre site in 2018 from Nama for a reported €6.2m.
He followed it up with the purchase of the old public house on the land.
It had been out of use since 2010 when the Clarion Suites closed down.
Before, it was the Limerick Ryan Hotel until that closed in 2003.
When Conack staff moved on site last year, architects began work on preparing a masterplan.
This has paved the way for a planning notice, a move which will be followed up by the formal lodging of papers with council.
The application will seek to change the use of the historic Ardhú House from commercial to residential to provide four new apartments, with non-historic extensions demolished.
These will be replaced with seven, two-storey homes.
And the most significant part of the project will come - if plans get the green light - with the building of five new apartment blocks.
Ranging from three-storeys high to five-storeys in height, these will accommodate one, two and three-bedroomed apartments.
Ardhú House, meanwhile, will be refurbished, as will the licensed bar, and will be used as a facility for those living at the site.
It's proposed this premises will include a gym, a co-working space, dining, cinema and games room.
In terms of the housing blocks, the first one will comprise of 46 apartments - 17 of these will be one-bedroomed, 29 two-bedroomed. The second block, which will tower up five-storeys, will be home to 26 apartments.
Twelve of these will be one-bedroomed, 13 two-bedroomed, while there will be one with three bedrooms.
Block number three will, according to the plans, contain 24 apartments - 15 one-bed, and nine two-bed.
The fourth block will have 25 apartments - 11 one-bed and 14-two bed.
On top of this, there will be one, one-bedroomed duplex, and one, three-bedroomed duplex.