PLANNING permission has been granted to increase the number of rooms for a new aparthotel at a long empty landmark building in the heart of Limerick City.
The multi-million euro plan at the former Debenhams site on O’Connell Street will now have up to 74 rooms, with the addition of a new top floor.
Talks are also underway with developers to put two retail units on the ground floor, instead of one, with discussions ongoing with a “major” retail outlet to replace the Debenhams site, which closed in 2020.
Local authorities had already given Galway-based developer, Dalespell, led by Michael McDonagh, permission to build 60 rooms and one retail unit.
Under the revised plan submitted to Limerick City and County Council, works will now begin on alternations to the ground floor to increase the aparthotel reception area, as well as the subdivision of the ground floor into two separate retail units.
An aparthotel offers self-catering apartments alongside the normal facilities one would receive from a hotel.
There will also be change of use of the first and second floors, with proposed new connections through party walls at both floor levels, to facilitate the expansion of the aparthotel.
The building on O’Connell Street was home to the Debenhams store in the city centre until 2020, when it was announced all stores were to close.
Over 110 workers lost their jobs at the time and staged a peaceful sit-down protest at the premises over their claim for redundancy from the company in 2021.
