Developers lodge plan for seven-storey apartment building on part of Limerick Opera site

An image of what part of Limerick's Opera Square site will look like upon completion, including the 14-storey Revenue offices, set to be Limerick's tallest building. File picture

A planning application has been lodged for a multi-storey apartment building, which would be part of the Limerick Opera site.

The new development would see 22 apartment units being developed on a vacant site in the Opera development.

The architecture firm Healy Partners have teamed up with developers HKD Limited, to lodge the planning permission for the seven-storey building.

The site would comprise of 16 one-bedroom apartments, six two-bed apartments, a communal area as well as a commercial premises.

Part of the plan includes the demolition of a vacant garage on Michael Street, in a bid to transform the space to a “vibrant contemporary addition” to Limerick’s city centre.

This comes as work is set to commence on a new 14-storey office building in Limerick, as council members gave the green light to sell lands at the Opera Square site.

The decision will see the new building constructed on behalf on the Revenue Commissioners. A €1.1m move to be paid for by The Office of Public Works, who will also cover the development costs incurred so far by the council.

This disposal, by way of a 999-year lease, over Parcel 5 of the Opera Square site, consists of 1,936sq m of basement space and 1,346sq m of airspace overhead.

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The sale will now allow the OPW to move forward with the construction of the building, which will be home to almost 1,000 workers.

The development of the Opera site by Limerick Twenty Thirty DAC has been supported over the last number of years by the elected members of Limerick City and County Council.

Prior to the last local elections, a number of councillors were sitting on the board of the company to provide oversight to the project.

However, last summer, Limerick mayor John Moran had announced council members would have to apply to sit on the board, and that he would decide on those positions – a move which was criticised by some council members.