An Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick Appendices

Limerick 2030 An Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick
The largest Central City office occupier is the public sector, at the Limerick City Council offices
north of the Courts and at Sarsfield House north of Arthur’s Quay and the HSE at Catherine Street.
There is also a range of smaller office based employers including a range of business services.
These are located on Henry and O’Connell Street as well as small business spaces in the core
Georgian Quarter. The Granary hosts a range of third sector occupiers. Larger new office
buildings were also built in recent years along the waterfront.
A new generation of hotels were also added to Limerick’s Central City stock in recent years. There
is no identifiable hotel quarter, but the larger hotels are close to the shopping core or close to the
riverfront.
Strengths
Department Stores including Brown Thomas, Debenhams, Dunnes Stores and Penneys, plus a
number of multiples;
Strong independent sector – especially in fashion;
Small businesses and independents have activated Irish Town, the Milk Market, the Fashion
Quarter and the core of the Georgian Quarter – there is an active small business community
in the City Centre;
People come to the City Centre for restaurants and bars as well as shopping;
The Public Sector provides an office and employment anchor in the central city;
There is an extensive hotel stock in the City Centre.
Challenges
The underlying national and sub-regional economy is weak;
The retail sector is undergoing a major restructuring;
Challenge of edge of town shopping centres and suburban business parks;
There are significant and accumulating retail vacancies;
Many shop units do not meet market requirements;
There are larger vacant sites at the Opera Site and the former Dunnes Stores Site;
There has been long running discussion of larger anchor retail development at these sites –
failed attempts have tarnished the City image;
There is a predominance of social housing in the City Centre – edge of City Centre which
impacts upon image/perception;
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