Building starts on 'Obama Plaza' style service station in Limerick

DEVELOPERS have broken ground on a multi-million euro 'Obama Plaza'- style service station on the city's northside.

An estimated 100 construction roles and 50 full-time positions look set to be created as the massive project on a vast site near the Limerick to Galway road in Clondrinagh gets under way.

Permission is in place for the development modelled on the Barack Obama Plaza near Moneygall, Offaly, and named after the former American president who has ancestors nearby.

Here in Limerick, a service-station forecourt, a 650-square metre two-storey restaurant building with a drive-thru facility and children’s play area is planned.

The service station would operate on a 24/7 basis, with the restaurant open between 6am and 10pm, documents previously submitted to Limerick Council show.

Local Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea has welcomed the development's start.

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He said: “It's a tremendous development. It really is a great boost to the economy of the area. It's been a long time coming.

"I'm delighted to see it eventually get through. It's a substantial contribution to the economy on the northside of Limerick and

"I'm sure it will be very much welcomed in the area.”

The proposed complex has previously been hailed as “a landmark development at a gateway site to the city”.

It's hoped it would be used by motorists using the Limerick Tunnel on the N18, and potentially those utilising the new Coonagh campus at Technological University of the Shannon, opening soon.

It also lies next to the Clondrinagh Business Park.

This 'Obama Plaza'-style development has been in the pipeline since 2017.

It was then when developers initially successfully secured planning permission from local authority planners for the project.

Despite appeals to An Bord Pleanala, the national planning authority green-lit the development in late 2018.

The land was sold to a new owner now developing the site. These new owners - who did not return a request for comment as the Leader went to press - provided a ‘commencement notice’ to council last month, indicating that construction was set to begin.