2.0 | Key Components and Attributes 2.1 | Limerick City
Limerick City 1 has a population of 94,192 persons and covers an area of 59km 33 . An ancient city located on the banks of the River Shannon, its history dates back to its establishment by the Vikings as a walled city on King’s Island in 812AD. Limerick’s charter in 1197 makes it older than the City of London. Limerick has already experienced successful economic and cultural rejuvenation. From record levels of high unemployment and emigration a decade ago, Limerick is now an exemplar of recovery and primed to take its place among the most dynamic emerging cities of Europe. Limerick City has significant competitive advantages including its pivotal location in relation to other cities, its central location on the Atlantic Economic Corridor, national and international connectivity through Shannon International Airport and Shannon Foynes Port, tourism connectivity as a Wild Atlantic Way Gateway City, and a significant third level education and skills role including a world-class university. It is a key economic driver for our Region and is a focus of employment for the surrounding areas with 44,635 jobs in 2016, an increase of over 4,000 over the previous five years. In 2016, over half the people working in the City were from outside with some 22,700 commuting into the City each day for work. The Limerick 2030 initiative is key to unlocking the potential of the city and has been accelerated by the establishment of the Limerick 2030 Strategic Development Designated Activity Company, the first entity of its kind created by a local authority to deliver a city and county-wide programme of investment. It includes the biggest single Irish commercial property development programme undertaken outside of Dublin. Over €1 billion is being invested in enterprise and investment infrastructure as part of the Limerick 2030 vision, which aims to transform Limerick through economic, social and physical investment. The MASP supports this initiative, including the development of the Opera site, Gardens International, Cleeves Riverside Quarter and Mungret College lands. This is complemented by Innovate Limerick, a delivery mechanism for key Limerick 2030 projects. Limerick is also transforming itself into Ireland’s first Digital City with the integration of a number of public services, the creation of smart homes, smart buildings, energy districts and smart neighbourhoods.
The MASP supports Limerick City in becoming a major economic force in the Irish and European economy, a leading centre for commercial investment – both foreign direct investment and indigenous business growth - capitalising on the strengths of its higher education institutions and the skills of its workforce. The City Centre will be at the heart of this economic force – an attractive magnet for retail, leisure, residential, commercial, educational and cultural growth. The MASP supports the following key infrastructure and transformative projects within Limerick City: • City Centre Consolidation and Revitalisation based on Limerick 2030, comprising social, physical and economic regeneration and formation of a higher density Georgian Living City with all essential services and community facilities, • Densification of development in the City Centre, including identification and assembly of brownfield sites for development; • Development of key strategic sites including Opera site, Cleeves, Arthurs Quay and continuation of the riverside links; • Potential for alternative uses in Limerick Docklands; • Continued expansion and enhancement of the retail offer and experience in the City Centre; • Continued investment in the City’s regeneration areas; • Development of a new business park on the north side of LimerickCity linkedwithLimerick IT, Moyross and building on the regeneration process; • Industry 4.0, Digital transformation and Smart City initiatives; • Public realm improvements in the City Centre including the development of a city-wide interconnected set of public parks and urban renewal within the Georgian Quarter; • Additional child friendly amenities within the City Centre including playgrounds that will help drive footfall; • Improvements to sustainable transport infrastructure including the development of public transport, walking and cycling; • Creation of a Carbon Neutral City ; • Business incentive schemes to further generate footfall and use of the City both during the daytime and in the evenings; • The further development and promotion of cultural, heritage and sporting offerings (such as EVA International / The Red Mile) to further develop the desirability of the City Centre,
33. Limerick City is taken to be the Census settlement of Limerick City and Suburbs.
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
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