Multimillion euro development planned for unused Limerick site

A largely-disused field on the southside of Limerick city is set to finally see development.

Toppins Field between Carew Park and Rathbane, which is mostly-empty and has been used as a dumping ground, has been earmarked for a new mixed-use residential scheme.

Councillors at the local authority budget meeting have approved spend of €4.7m for Traveller accommodation on the site.

This will be funded by government grants, while the land, part of which already contains a halting site, has also been granted a share of €14m to develop serviced sites.

A strategy for the southside, put together by council-appointed consultants Allies and Morrison has looked at the possibility of an affordable housing development on site.

“The team is currently looking at the viability of a scheme of approximately 50 units and preparing an Affordable Homes Fund application for that,” the firm posted in an update.

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Allies and Morrison also confirmed the council’s Affordable Housing team have also submitted an expression of interest application to the Department of Housing, Local government and Heritage for part of Toppins Field to be included in the next tranche of social housing.

“The Affordable Housing Team is collaborating with the Regeneration department and the Active Travel unit on the potential for synergies between projects in the area and any new development potential,” the company added.

Separately, the county-wide Traveller accommodation programme is getting a funding boost of €3.75m in the budget passed just before Christmas.

Councillor Sarah Kiely welcomed the development, adding: “The time for talking is over, and the time for action in the form of a planning application has come. The place needs to be cleaned up too.”

The Council said it is liaising with the remaining families at the Traveller site.