Plans for up to 600 homes on site next to Limerick's Colbert Street Station
The St Joseph's Hospital site in Limerick City. Picture: LDA
Up to 600 new homes could be could be delivered on a 6.4-hectare site beside Limerick's Colbert Street train station, under new plans published by the Land Development Agency (LDA) on Thursday.
The LDA's public consultation process for its plans for St Joseph's Hospital site in the city's quarter will run until December 15.
The site, which is situated in Limerick City's Colbert Quarter, is owned by the HSE. However, it has been identified for transfer to the LDA under the Government's Housing for All plan.
The draft masterplan for the site outlines the potential for the phased delivery of up to 600 new homes, 70% of which will be made available for cost rental. 10% will be used for social housing and the remaining 20% will be for purchase.
More than one-third (35%) of the site will be earmarked for open green space and 100sqm will be used for community space.
The plans also include proposals for an urban greenway, new community facilities and amenities, local shops, a farm café, workspaces, playstreets, gardens and a creche.
The LDA says the proposed project has involved "extensive engagement" with the LSE, Limerick City and County Council and Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE).
The St Joseph’s Hospital building itself is not included in the proposals. However, the LDA says there are plans to convert some of the other protected buildings on the site – Elmhurst House and the Chapel – into new community spaces.
The LDA says that it will be soon organising and holding meetings on the plans in Limerick "for all stakeholders and interested parties to attend."
"Colbert Quarter represents a fantastic opportunity to regenerate a large part of Limerick City and to deliver a high number of affordable and social homes," said chief executive of the LDA John Coleman.
"One of main roles of the LDA is to deliver new homes on state-owned land, but this process must also involve creating new, well-served, well-connected, vibrant and sustainable communities.
The new draft masterplan for St Joseph’s Hospital contains ambitious proposals that will ultimately create new homes and a new community in what will be a great place to live, work and visit."
Mr Coleman said the LDA was "focused on maximising the potential of state-owned land for affordable and social housing."
He also thanked the HSE, Limerick City and County Council, CIE and other stakeholders involved.
"The HSE is making this land available and by doing so the agency is playing an important part in helping to meet the country’s housing need," he added.
