Decision made on plans for huge new cemetery in Limerick

A NEW PRIVATE cemetery to include more than 3,000 plots has been given conditional planning permission.

A three-acre site at Monaleen, which was home to a pitch and putt course, is planned for the facility.

Developer Eugene Harrington, who lives locally to the site at Monaleen Road, has previously pledged the park will provide local families with “thoughtfully landscaped grounds.”

He said he recognised an urgent local need for a new space and hoped it “has a positive impact on both the local community and local environment.”

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It’s envisioned development of the park will take place over three phases, and ultimately, contain space for 3,335 plots.

The first phase will see the building of a traditional burial garden of around half a hectare, comprising of 1,048 burial plots.

There will be a burial area for ashes on a 0.07 hectare patch of land.

Columbarium walls - used for the interment of ashes - will be integrated into the traditional burial gardens, measuring around 2.3 metres high over land space of 35 square metres.

Vehicle and pedestrian access will be provided from Monaleen Road, while 62 car parking spaces will be provided across two sites, according to the proposals.

In the centre of the development, there will be a reception plaza which will contain a single-storey building to include a staff welfare room and toilets.

A further phase will see 850 plots, followed by a final stage with 1,437 spaces.

There were objections from eight local residents.

Two of these said they felt they could no longer grow vegetables and fruit at home if it went ahead.

They claimed this is because formaldehyde, a key part of embalming fluid, would prove dangerous entering the local soil supply.

Council planners granted the development permission on Friday afternoon subject to 11 conditions.