Local area plan for Limerick town set for a number of changes

A NUMBER of amendments have been made to the proposed local area plan (LAP) for Newcastle West and are awaiting approval.

The Newcastle West LAP 2023 - 2029 sets out the future development strategy for the town.

Fianna Fáil councillor for Newcastle West Michael Collins made the first amendment to the plan at the latest meeting of the municipal district.

“The biggest issue for me is the southern distributor road for Newcastle West. I’m very disappointed that somebody down the line has decided to shelve this proposal and I firmly believe this is the green agenda,” Mr Collins said.

The southern distributor road according to Mr Collins would help alleviate a backlog of traffic currently experienced in the town but has been scrapped due to active travel plans for Newcastle West.

“The distributor road is the most important piece of infrastructure needed for Newcastle West,” Mr Collins said.

Independent councillor Jerome Scanlan agreed with Mr Collins’ motion saying that parts of Newcastle West town are “gridlocked” during the day.

Mr Collins proposed a second amendment based on the chief executive’s report for the Newcastle West LAP.

“It was proposed that we would put in a link road from the Woodfield area over to the Knockane Road, this would create a mini distributor road,” Mr Collins said.

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“In my view that would cause congestion on Bothar Buí, the road where the school is and I am not supporting that.”

An objection to the same link road was published online by a long-term resident of Woodfield Green.

“I am very concerned that the proposed indicative link road from our estate entrance to Knockane will make our housing estate very busy and dangerous. My children often regularly cross over this road when calling to friends and family in Woodfield Grove and Woodfield Park,” the submission read.

“We would also find that access to our local football club, of which we are all a member of and volunteer with, would also be affected as our children and all the underage and vulnerable members of Newcastle West Town FC would not be safe to cross heavy traffic.

“If this proposed link road is passed, all the children of our local community would be put in danger when they attempt to cross the road. The link road will be used as a shortcut for heavy goods vehicles, courier services, farmers with tractors and trailers, not to mention people looking for a through road to avoid the heavy congestion that exists in our town centre. This link road would greatly impede the freedom and independence of all the residents in the Woodfield Estate but would especially affect our young, our elderly and our vulnerable road users,” the submission said.

The LAP contains an overall vision for the Newcastle West area and includes specific land use objectives to guide future development to achieve this vision.

As of now, the amendments have not been adopted and are awaiting approval to be adopted into the plan.

According to a spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council, a decision on the proposed amendments could take six weeks.