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The 2008 'Master' Plan for St. Mary's Park


Click here for the 2013 Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan

A Selection of images from the 'Master' plan. Click on an image to enlarge. Some images have been enhanced so that text can be read.
Physical Regeneration - St. Marys Park (1.2MB)

Estimated Cost of St. Mary's Park Regeneration:

Public Sector Investment
€299.6 million
Private Sector Investment
€425.8 million
Total
€725.4 million

Extract from the 'Master' Plan for St. Mary's Park:

5.3.4.5 Housing
The aim is to provide a high quality, sustainable, family-friendly, urban residential environment that caters for the full spectrum of social and economic family profiles. Challenges include:

  • Transforming the perception of St. Mary's Park as a socially disadvantaged, physically sub-standard and crime-ridden ghetto to one of a safe, model, urban riverside residential development.

  • Convincing house buyers that the convenience of urban living combined with an exceptional natural environment -is a desirable alternative to the currently available and preferred options of suburbia, or commuting from nearby villages, or one-off sites in the countryside.

The design of the residential environment will conform to current best practice and government policy as outlined in:

  • Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities -
    Best Practice Guidelines for Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities.
    Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2007

  • Sustainable Urban Housing -Design Standards for Apartments. Consultation draft guidelines for Local Authorities
    Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2007

The majority of the housing will have own door access i.e. townhouses or duplex.

Those without ground floor gardens will have external private open space in the form of a roof deck or balcony. Each neighbourhood will have its own park/ children's play areas in addition to being within" two blocks east- west of the Special Area of Conservation or Verdant Promenade; five minutes from the Island Place Community Centre, Gooseneck Park Sports and Recreational Centre.

There will be a robust and strategic management system for maintaining the public realm, developing community spirit and identity, and dealing with anti- social behaviour and crime (the latter in a highly integrated strategy with the Gardai).

Mix: In keeping with the principle of sustainability, the Plan allows for the widest possible mix of family types, in their life-cycles from young singles to elderly dependents, and in their needs and aspirations, socially and economically.

The Plan presumes that residential is the pre-dominant use in the Abbey, Athlunkard and Bastion Quarters, supported in each case by a local shop, crèche and kiddies playground.

Prototype Housing Block

The prototype housing block illustrates in more detail how a typical block in Abbey Quarter can accommodate a mix of terraced, single-family houses, duplexes, work-live units and apartments (click here to view)

All housing clusters should be designed to 'Secure by Design' or equivalent standards and make a clear distinction between public fronts and private backs, allowing for secure gardens, parking and an overlooked, safe public realm. 100% of building frontages should face on to the street and there should be an involvement of a Police Architectural Liaison Officer (PALO) or Crime Reduction Design Officer (CRDO) or other specialist.

To view the complete 'Master' Plans,"Limerick Regeneration: A Vision For Moyross, Southill & Ballinacurra Weston and St. Mary's Park" click here