Strategy reveals Limerick park could accommodate 500 new homes

LESS than five years after over €172,000 of public money was spent developing a park in a city community, Mayor John Moran now wants to see it make way for housing.

The first citizen has earmarked Boro Park in Janesboro to install modular houses.

And a development blueprint has indicated that the land on the southside could accommodate as many as 500 homes towering up to 10 storeys.

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But these plans have proven unpopular, with residents fearing the loss of a public park which was only established as a community facility in 2021.

Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely used a question at the metropolitan meeting to find out how much was spent to convert Boro Field, which had become a hotspot for dumping, into a park.

In a written response from engineer Aidan Finn, she was told this figure amounted to €172,451.29.

“Residents are rightly questioning why a well-established park has been identified for development, particularly given the investment made by Limerick City and County Council,” said Cllr Kiely.

She said the proposal to locate modular housing has “caused deep concern and anger within the local community, and rightly so.”

Sarah Newell, a senior executive officer in the housing department said the Boro Park site has been included on a preliminary list for Smart housing, which is Mayor Moran’s flagship initiative to tackle the housing crisis.

“This choice was made on the basis the Boro Park site was zoned suitable for residential use in the current development plan approved by full council in 2022, and the related Colbert Quarter Spatial Framework,” she said.

The latter strategy, Ms Newell added, had contemplated “approximately 500 homes from two to 10 storeys on the Boro Park site”.

Referencing the spend, Cllr Kiely said: “This figure does not account for the countless voluntary contributions made by local people, including the planting of memorial trees dedicated to loved ones. To now propose building over this space shows a serious disregard for both public funds and community effort.”

She added “every avenue” will be explored to ensure the park remains “for current and future generations”.