LIMERICK City and County Council was asked about the possibility of repurposing its carpark in Merchants’ Quay as a potential location for Mayor John Moran’s modular housing programme.
Independent councillor Ursula Gavan also suggested at October’s Metropolitan District meeting that the local authority consider converting the carpark by St Michael’s under Limerick Twenty Thirty in the same way.
The City East representative told the Limerick Post that she believes the Council should be leading the way when it comes to modular homes. One potential way to take the lead, she maintains, would be to use the carpark at the back of City Hall as a site for such modular homes.
“It would also shift the current policy, which appears to focus only on working class areas as sites for these homes. It is close to civic, transport, community, educational, and medical facilities and would blend seamlessly into the city infrastructure,” Cllr Gavan suggested.
“This would also tie in with policy to encourage greater use of public transport. We are asking people to take public transport and yet in the city centre beside Merchant’s Quay, which has one of the most scenic views, we could provide homes instead of a carpark which is only used during work hours.
“It could also help spur the redevelopment of the Castle Tavern, which for some strange reason is lying idle for 20 years,” she added.
Cllr Gavan was informed by the Council that it has not considered the two carparks for use for modular housing.
“The key objective of the programme is to deliver housing quickly on sites that are zoned for residential use, within Council ownership, and free from environmental, archaeological, or heritage constraints,” Darragh Quinn, executive architect at the Council’s Housing Strategy Department told Cllr Gavan.
“In accordance with the Limerick City and County Development Plan 2022-2028, the Smart Housing Programme is focused on activating suitable under-utilised lands that can be developed efficiently and sustainably in line with compact growth objectives.”