A render of the proposed residential development beside the South Court Hotel in Raheen
A LOCAL councillor has urged developers behind a new multi-storey residential development in Limerick city to reduce its size by at least two-storeys.
Can2 Investments is awaiting a decision from Limerick City and County Council as to if it can begin construction on a towering new development beside the South Court Hotel in the city suburbs.
If granted in its current form, the development will see 104 apartments on the doorstep of the Raheen Business Park, where thousands of people work at various firms.
According to the plans, these will be split into 51 one-bedroom apartments, 49 two-bed apartments and four three-bed apartments.
But former Limerick mayor, Daniel Butler, is one of two parties to formally object to the plans so far.
“I think it needs to be reduced by two floors - nine floors inclusive of the basement floors is unheard of in Limerick suburbs,” he wrote in a statement.
He acknowledged it is “great” to see housing delivered locally, pointing to the increased employment in the area in places like Analog Eli Lilly and Regeneron.
“I think this has the potential to be a positive addition to the area if it considered better the environment around it and the challenges we are facing locally,” councillor Butler continued.
Among these challenges, he said, is the traffic.
“Since September, it’s been a huge problem but particularly at this junction which supports access to one of the busiest shopping centres in Limerick, Courtfields Shopping Centre, the Courtfields Estate itself and the hotel.
“The junction is already clearly beyond capacity coming onto a road which is dangerous to access with traffic coming down a steep hill at huge volumes,” the Fine Gael member, who lives close to the development, stated.
Recent traffic counts, he pointed out, have seen around 15,000 vehicle movements a day.
According to the planning application, some 149 car parking spaces would be provided as part of the development.
On the height, he said: “It is totally out of character with existing structures in the area.
“It will have a huge impact on the residents of Blackthorn and Courtfields in particular who neighbour the site, removing privacy for many homes.”
As well as the new build, the development will also see the partial demolition of part of the South Court Hotel.
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