Rare bats set to delay Limerick's €180m Project Opera

THE €180m Project Opera development is facing delay​ after an official objection raised concerns over “threatened species” of bat nesting on site.

As part of the transformational scheme – which could deliver 3,000 new  jobs – a vast area at the junction of Patrick Street, Rutland Street and Bank Place looks set to be turned into a development of offices, houses, an apart-hotel, a new city library, cafes and restaurant.

But in a 48-page submission to An Bord Pleanala, Limerick An Taisce has claimed “at least three separate species of bat” have been identified on the development site, pointing out that these are legally protected under both European and Irish legislation.

The local branch of the heritage body has identified the common pipistrelle bat, the soprano pipistrelle, the Leisler’s bat and the lesser horseshoe bat as being present on part of the site in Rutland Street.

“The proposed development will result in permanent loss of the bat roost at Nine Rutland Street of a near threatened species. A range of habitats and protected species will be negatively impacted. In addition, some bat species, including the lesser horseshoe bat are completely intolerant to light. Bat boxes are completely unsuitable for this protected species,” argued Limerick An Taisce's chair Michelle Hayes.

The lesser horseshoe bat is found in Ireland only, with the Leader’s wildlife expert Albert Nolan saying he believes it is unique to Galway, Mayo and Limerick.

“All bats are becoming rarer due to habitat changes. Bats are a protected species,” he explained, “Bats are declining across the country.”

He praised An Taisce for its submission, but added: “There is no reason wildlife and development cannot go together, especially bats. It does mean there will need to be a lot of owrk on behalf of the developer to ensure a proper survey is carried out.”

An Taisce Limerick raised a number of other concerns in its submission to the national appeals body.

The group allege that there will be  a surface water sewer which will flow into the Abbey River at Charlotte Quay.

Ms Hayes warned if the development is granted, it will have a “major negative and oppressive visual impact, will irreversibly injure the skyline, is out of scale and out of character and will completely overshadow Bank Place, the Quays, the Abbey River, the Hunt Museum, Barrington’s Hospital, the Locke Bar etc.”

The group compared the central block in the development – which will rise 15-storeys high – to the controversial Ballymun tower, which was demolished due to anti-social behaviour, drug crime and social disorder.

The height of the buildings were also a cause for concern, with An Taisce Limerick suggesting ​it could cause bird collisions, plus affect nesting bird and “legally protected species of environmental and conservation concern, including habitat loss, noise and disturbance of hibernating and feeding populations using the Shannon or Abbey River for feeding and roosting sites.”

“The massive cost of this excessive scale development will have serious budgetary ramifications for the rest of the council’s other strategies and commitments on houses which will be neglected is the development is allowed to proceed,” the submission adds.

A spokesperson for the local authority said they do not comment on live planning applications.

“The application for proposed development of the Opera site is with An Bord Pleanala, who will make a decision on the planning application,” they added.

There were approximately 36 submissions made to Project Opera by this Wednesday.

Planners are scheduled to decide on the scheme by Thursday, September 12 next.