King’s Island Flood Relief Scheme

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000 as amended.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS 2001 as amended.

Notice Pursuant to Section 226 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.

Limerick City & County Council proposes to seek approval from An Bord Pleanála for the following proposed development:

King’s Island Flood Relief Scheme

The Proposed Works

The proposed works are located in King’s Island in Limerick City. King’s Island is situated in the centre of Limerick City and is surrounded by the waters of the River Shannon and the Abbey River. The island is characterised by two distinct areas, the northern portion is known as St. Mary’s Park, a residential development of mostly two storey semi-detached dwellings and surrounded by large green areas, which act as a natural buffer running along the river’s edge. To the south is Englishtown, which runs along the south west of the island, and is regarded as the historic core of Limerick City, home to cultural buildings like St. Mary’s Cathedral and King John’s Castle and includes restaurants, businesses and some residential dwellings built along the water’s edge and is generally considered the more urban area of the island.

The proposed works consist of a replacement railing on Verdant Place and an extension of the flood defence wall at rear of crèche/community centre, construction of a contoured earthen embankments opposite Oliver Plunkett Street as far as the tie in with the outer embankment at the north end of the island, relocation of open drain in north west corner of St. Mary’s Park to the toe of proposed earthen embankment, cutting down of existing sheet piles on outer embankment and repair of existing walkway, construction of a contoured earthen embankment to the rear of St. Munchin’s Street which extends through Star Rovers and Athlunkard Football Clubs and the green areas of Lee Estate/Abbey View as far as Athlunkard Boat Club.

The scheme includes for the relocation of the astro turf pitch including floodlighting and the provision of fencing and ball stops at playing pitches. A three-metre wide footpath/cycleway including public lighting is proposed on top of the earthen embankment with pedestrian linkages to St. Mary’s Park. The proposed works include for the construction of new flood defence wall at Athlunkard Boat Club with new vehicular entrance and internal access roadway, raising a section of existing wall along Sir Harry’s Mall with footpath alteration, replacement of existing walls to the rear of Absolute Hotel as far as Baal’s Bridge, replacement of existing wall along George’s Quay with new flood defence wall and sections of glazed flood defence panels, road raising at junction of Bridge Street, replacement of cantilever opening in Potato Market with glazed flood defence panel, provision of pedestrian ramp/steps at the pedestrian bridge into the Potato Market and a new flood defence wall on the western edge of the Potato Market.

The proposed works include for the construction of a vehicular ramp with automatic flood barrier near the entrance to Curragower Boat Club and a new wall between Curragower Boat Club and the Courthouse. Works in Merchant’s Quay involve the setting back of existing railings and removal of the cantilever walkway around the Courthouse and provision of a new cantilever with glazed flood defence panels. There is a combination of glazed flood defence panels and flood defence walls proposed from the Courthouse as far as King’s John’s Castle. The scheme includes for the construction of a gravity foul sewer from the rear of Civic Offices to George’s Quay and decommissioning of three foul sewer pumping stations, construction of two inter tidal storage tanks and a new surface water network in Merchant’s Quay and George’s Quay. The proposed works includes for road reconstruction, road regrading, drainage works, tree felling, tree planting, landscaping and all associated and ancillary works. The proposed development is subject to a separate application for a foreshore licence.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have been prepared in respect of the proposed development. 

The Application

The application for permission, EIAR and NIS will be available for inspection free of charge, or may be purchased on payment of a specified fee (which fee shall not exceed the reasonable cost of making such a copy) during public opening hours (excluding Public Holidays and Offices of An Bord Pleanála closed on 27^th December 2019 and Limerick City & County Council Offices closed 24^th & 27^th December 2019), from 23^rd December 2019 to 14^th February 2020 (inclusive of both dates), at the following locations:

• The Offices of An Bord Pleanála, 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902
• Limerick City & County Council, Corporate Headquarters, Merchant’s Quay Limerick, V94 EH90

The application plans and particulars, the EIAR and NIS may also be viewed at or downloaded from the following websites: http://www.kingsislandfrs.ie and http://mypoint.limerick.ie

Submissions & Observations

Submissions or observations may be made in writing only to An Bord Pleanála (‘the Board’) 64 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, D01 V902 in respect of:

1. The implications of the proposed development for proper planning and sustainable development in the area concerned, and
2. The likely effects on the environment of the proposed development, if carried out, and
3. The likely significant effects of the proposed development on a European site, if carried out.

Any submissions / observations must be accompanied by a fee of €50 (except for certain prescribed bodies) and must be received by the Board not later than 5.30 p.m. on 14^th February 2020. Such submissions or observations must include the following information:

1. The name of the person, authority or body making the submission or observation, the name of the person, if any, acting on behalf of that person, authority or body, and the address to which any correspondence relating to the application should be sent,
2. The subject matter of the submission or observation, and
3. The reasons, considerations and arguments on which the submission or observation is based in full.

An Bord Pleanála may give approval to the application for development with or without conditions or may refuse the application for development.

Any person may question the validity of any such decision of the Board made in respect of the application for permission by way of an application for judicial review, under Order 84 of the Rule of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986, as amended by S.I. No. 691 of 2011), in accordance with Section 50 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 as amended. Practical information on the review mechanism can be accessed under the heading Publications – Judicial Review Notice on the Board’s website www.pleanala.ie or on the Citizens Information Service website www.citizensinformation.ie.

Any enquiries relating to the application process should be directed to An Bord Pleanála (Telephone: 01 8588100).

Signed: Joe Delaney, A/Director of Services,

Limerick City & County Council,

Merchant’s Quay, Limerick.