LIMERICK CITY AND County Councils today announced details of a new plan to transform the city centre, its economy and the way it is marketed in a move with the potential to deliver 5,000 jobs.

The €250 million plan entitled ‘Limerick 2030 – an ‘Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick‘ was unveiled by Ministers Phil Hogan and Michael and Junior Minister Jan O’Sullivan.

It has the potential to create some 5,000 jobs and sets out a number of objectives to change the infrastructure of the city centre over the next 17 years.

The plan is structured around three main elements; an economic strategy, a spatial strategy and a marketing plan.

This will involve positioning Limerick to capture a greater share of knowledge-based investment, transforming how the city centre looks and re-branding it while “challenging false perceptions”.

Visually, the rejuvenation will include:

• A renaissance of Limerick’s entire waterfront and the creation of an ‘iconic’ destination building ‘The Limerick Cultural Centre’.
• ‘Great Streets’ – the transformation of the three main streets; O’Connell St, Catherine St and Henry St.
• A new City Square/Plaza to define the heart of the city.
• A City Centre Higher Education campus to include facilities from LIT,UL, and MIC.
• Restoration of the Georgian Quarter.
• Renewal of Colbert Station creating better links with city centre facilities through a new public transport interchange.

It will also involve a redevelopment of the Arthur’s Quay area to create a new city square, a refurbishment of Cruises St and an expansion of the Penneys/Debenhams area so that it becomes a focal point for shopping.

The €250 million plan is part of a wider €750 million Limerick project to deliver improved economic infrastructure including new third level educational facilities, new port facilities along the Shannon Estuary, and new infrastructure at Shannon International Airport over the next two decades.