Estimated Cost
of Moyross Regeneration:
| Public Sector
Investment |
€727.7
million
|
| Private Sector
Investment |
€467.7
million
|
| Total |
€1195.4
million
|
Extract from the
'Master' Plan for Moyross:
Development densities
Best practice in
terms of sustainable urban design promotes high density development
in urban areas adjacent to public transport and facilities.
The current draft Department of Environment, Heritage and Local
Government Guideline on Sustainable Residential Development
in Urban Areas sets out a minimum density of 50 dwellings per
hectare in areas adjacent to public transport corridors (i.e.
sites within 400- 500m of a bus or light rail stop ).
The property market
conditions in the wider Limerick area, including the supply
of houses available and the number of houses which have planning
permission for future construction, makes it likely that the
most optimistic assumption on the number of private houses which
could be sold in Moyross in each year is approximately 120-130.
This suggests that achieving a high proportion of new private
residents in the development will be slow or difficult in the
short term. Allied with the negative perception of the area,
the market for new private dwellings in the earlier phases of
redevelopment will be very price sensitive and so the lower
overall number of dwellings as outlined above is seen as the
base figure required for achieving the aims of the Plan.
The Plan however,
includes provision for increasing housing densities and varying
the dwelling mix as reviews of the plan and market conditions
may require. This affords the Plan a robustness which will allow
the Regeneration Agency room to vary development over time as
may be necessary, and which will remain valid for the regeneration
under a range of conditions.
As previously outlined,
the regeneration seeks to redefine the tenure mix in the Moyross
area through the redevelopment of residential areas in such
away as to provide an 80.20 private/affordable to social rented
dwellings over approximately 2,000 dwellings. This means a residential
density of 45 dwellings per hectare across the 44hectares. of
the regeneration area available for residential development.
To achieve this whilst still meeting the needs of the existing
residents, will require the use of a range of different residential
densities. As a general strategy, this can be described as the
provision of higher density edges to development plots adjacent
to key access routes that contain core areas of lower density
comprised, for the most part, of clusters of semi-detached dwellings.
Locating residential
densities
Residential densities
are varied across the site, placing higher densities closer
to amenities and main routes. The general organisation of residential
density in Moyross is set out in the plan below (click
here to view). The form which each of the different levels
of density will take is outlined in the following section.
Density Intensification
As previously outlined,
the regeneration of residential areas at an average of47 dwellings
per hectare is below the minimum density recommended by the
Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government for
sustainable communities, which recommends the minimum sustainable
residential development of 50 dwellings per hectare. Such a
density would require 2,200 dwellings be provided, an additional
260 dwellings above that outlined in the current Plan. Residential
proposals will allow adaptability and flexibility in buildings
and infrastructure to respond and adapt to the changing needs
and expanding spatial requirements of their inhabitants and
users including the possible intensification of residential
densities, which it is felt should be encouraged.
There is a need to
promote as much new residential development as possible in order
to help drive the regeneration by:
- providing the
local market to stimulate the provision of commercial services
and facilities which add to the activity of the area.
- to improve the
viability and speed of delivery of infra- structure and services
e.g. efficient public transport.
- to help promote
the perception outside the area that change is occurring.
- a greater number
of residents living in the area would help to promote a vibrant
public realm and contribute to civic behaviour and safer places
Impact of Intensification
While the Plan assumes
the use of blocks and typologies as previously described, the
desired intensification of residential development densities
would require the use of alternative block arrangements and
typologies as illustrated here (click
here to view). Depending on the intensification desired,
whether to achieve an average of 50 dwellings per hectare or
above, the use of combinations of the above typologies would
enable the redevelopment to still meet the majority of current
and necessary objectives including the designing out of unsupervised
public spaces, routes, etc and the retention of key views to
the Clare Hills from within the regenerated area.
To view
the complete 'Master' Plans,"Limerick Regeneration:
A Vision For Moyross, Southill & Ballinacurra Weston and
St. Mary's Park" click
here
