Chapter 15 Implementation

Land Use Zoning

Objective & Purpose

District Centre

Objective: To provide for a mixture of retail, residential, commercial, civic and other uses.

Purpose: To facilitate a district level centre consisting of a compatible mix of uses complimentary to the City Centre, having regard to the principles of compact growth, consolidation and densification. A diversity of uses for both day and evening may be considered. These areas require high levels of accessibility, including pedestrian, cyclists and public transport (where feasible).

Retail proposals which would undermine the vitality and viability of Limerick City Centre will not be permitted. The sequential approach to retail development set out in the “Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2012” will be strictly enforced. Any development shall comply with the current Joint Retail Strategy, or the new Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Retail Strategy following completion.

Local Centre

Objective: To protect and provide local centre facilities to serve the needs of new/existing neighbourhoods and residential areas.

Purpose: To provide a mix of community and commercial neighbourhood facilities to primarily serve the immediate needs of the local working and residential population and complement, rather than compete with the city centre. A mix of appropriate convenience retail, commercial, community, childcare and medical facilities, residential and recreational development of a local scale will be considered. Larger scale office and residential development will be considered in new developments where they are in compliance with the objectives set out in Chapter 6 of this LAP.

The retail scale and type will be controlled to prevent negative impacts on the retail function of Limerick City Centre at the top of the hierarchy. A materially broader range of comparison goods than currently exists shall not be allowed in order to avoid further competition with the city centre. Any proposal for retail development shall comply with the current Joint Retail Strategy, or the new Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Retail Strategy following completion.

Existing Residential

Objective: To provide for residential development, protect and improve existing residential amenity.

Purpose: This zone is intended primarily for established housing areas. Existing residential amenity will be protected while allowing appropriate infill development. The quality of the zone will be enhanced with associated open space, community uses and where an acceptable standard of amenity can be maintained, a limited range of other uses that support the overall residential function of the area, such as schools, crèches, doctor’s surgeries, playing fields etc.

New

Residential

Objective: To provide for new residential development in tandem with the provision of social and physical infrastructure.

Purpose: This zone is intended primarily for new high quality housing development. The quality and mix of residential areas and the servicing of lands will be a priority to support balanced communities.  New housing and infill developments should include a mix of housing types, sizes and tenures to cater for all members of society. Design should be complimentary to the surroundings and should not adversely impact on the amenity of adjoining residents. These areas require high levels of accessibility, including pedestrian, cyclists and public transport (where feasible).

This zone may include a range of other uses particularly those that have the potential to facilitate the development of new residential communities such as open space, schools, childcare facilities, doctor’s surgeries and playing fields etc.

Education & Community Infrastructure

Objective: To protect and provide for education, training, adult learning, community, healthcare, childcare, civic, religious and social infrastructure.

Purpose: To protect existing and allow for expansion of a wide range of educational facilities, services and related development. To facilitate sustainable development of community infrastructure and create an inclusive high quality of life. This land use will provide for community facilitates, healthcare services, childcare, religious, social and civic infrastructure and other facilities.

High Tech / Manufacturing

Objective: To provide for office, research and development, high technology, manufacturing and processing type employment in a high quality built and landscaped campus style environment.

Purpose: To facilitate opportunities for high technology, advanced manufacturing including pharmaceutical, film and food production, major office and research and development based employment within high quality, highly accessible, campus style settings. The zoning is for high value added businesses and corporate facilities that have extensive/ specific land requirements. Retail warehousing will not be acceptable in this zone. Local scale retail may be considered to serve the working population in accordance with the zoning matrix.

The uses in this zone are likely to generate a considerable amount of traffic by both employees and service vehicles. Sites should be highly accessible, well designed and permeable with good pedestrian, cyclist and public transport links. The implementation of mobility management plans will be required to provide important means of managing accessibility to these sites.

Enterprise & Employment

Objective: To provide for and improve general enterprise, employment, business and commercial activities.

Purpose: To provide for enterprise, employment and general business activities and acknowledge existing/permitted retailing uses. To accommodate compatible industry and employment activities that are incapable of being situated in the city centre, in a high quality physical environment. New enterprise and employment developments shall be provided in high quality landscaped park style environments, incorporating a range of amenities. These zones may accommodate light industry, low input and emission manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, campus style offices and commercial services with high space and parking requirements. The form and scale of development on these sites shall be appropriate to their location having regard to surrounding uses and scale. A proliferation of retail uses will not be permitted.

The uses in this zone are likely to generate a considerable amount of traffic by both employees and service vehicles. Sites should be highly accessible, well designed and permeable with good pedestrian, cyclist and public transport links. The implementation of mobility management plans will be required to provide important means of managing accessibility to these sites.

Retail Warehousing

Objective: To provide for retail warehouse development.

Purpose: To facilitate the sale of bulky household goods such as carpets, furniture, electrical goods and bulky DIY items catering mainly for car based customers, in high quality and accessible locations subject to the requirements of the Retail Planning Guidelines, the Joint Retail Strategy and the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Retail Strategy following completion.

Industry

Objective: To provide for specialised and heavy industrial development and associated employment creation.

Purpose: To provide employment locations specifically for heavy and specialised industry associated with environmental emissions including noise, dust and odour (e.g. waste processing, aggregate processing etc.) and with intensive or hazardous processing (e.g. Seveso) which may give rise to land use conflict if located within other land use zones.

Open Space & Recreation

Objective: To protect, provide for and improve open space, active and passive recreational amenities.

Purpose: To provide for active and passive recreational resources including parks, sports and leisure facilities and amenities including greenways and blueways. The Council will not normally permit development that would result in a substantial loss of open space.

Semi Natural Open Space

Objective: To protect Natura 2000 designated sites, candidate/proposed sites and flood plains in a semi natural and open state.

Purpose: This zoning recognises the importance and need for protection of these areas for wildlife, habitat, flora and fauna and floodwater storage. Within these areas development will be prohibited in order to maintain the integrity of the sites.

Utilities

Objective: To provide for the infrastructural needs of transport and other utility providers.

Purpose: Park and Ride facilities and commercial development associated with the provision of public transport services are considered appropriate in this zone. This zoning also provides for and preserves land for the provision of services such as electricity and gas networks, telecommunications, the treatment of water and wastewater etc.

Agriculture

Objective: To protect and improve rural amenity and provide for the development of agricultural uses.

Purpose: Protect rural amenity and agricultural lands from urban sprawl and ribbon development and provide a clear demarcation to the adjoining built up areas. Uses which are directly associated with agriculture or rural related business activities which have a demonstrated need for a rural based location, and which would not interfere with rural amenity are open for consideration. Compliance is required with the criteria for Small Scale Home Based Businesses In Rural Areas as set out in the Limerick County Development Plan 2010 – 2016 (as extended) or any replacement thereof.

One off dwellings will only be considered on agriculturally zoned land for the permanent habitation of farmers and the sons and/or daughters of farmers only and subject to the terms and conditions of the rural housing policy as set out in the Limerick County Development Plan 2010 – 2016 (as extended).

Special Control Area

Objective: To protect the heritage significance of the specified sites.

Purpose: This zoning recognises the heritage importance of the area at Mungret Monastic Complex. The Special Control Area designation will facilitate the preservation in situ of the identified archaeological, including any subterranean, remains. Within this area new development will be prohibited in order to maintain the archaeological heritage of the area.