Planning application to be lodged for €400m redevelopment of Limerick's Cleeves site
Computer-generated image of the planned redevelopment of the Cleeves Riverside Quarter in Limerick.
A planning application for the €400m redevelopment of the Cleeves site on the Shannon will be lodged next week.
The Cleeves Riverside Quarter will be the largest development under the Limerick Twenty Thirty (LTT) programme. The planning application for ‘Phase Two’ of the project is viewed as a transformative step for Limerick. Once completed, it will deliver a new urban neighbourhood that will accommodate approximately 1,000 people through 234 homes and 270 purpose-built student rooms. It is hoped that a planning decision will be finalised before the end of 2026.
The site was home to the famous Cleeves Condensed Milk Company, which had 3,000 employees on its payroll and sourced its raw material from 3,000 farmers across Ireland. The site also has significant political heritage, having been one of the key locations for the Limerick Soviet of 1919.
The planning application also provides for 299 sqm of commercial space, a creche, public realm with an enriched landscape, including the creation of the landmark Reservoir/Quarry Park, the Flaxmill Square, and the Riverside Corridor. In total, there will be almost two acres of public realm with new parks, plazas, and gardens supporting city-scale events and everyday recreation.
There will be water activities arising from the on-site reservoir and proximity to the River Shannon, while there will also be 299 sq meters of commercial space fronting onto the river at O’Callaghan Strand, envisioned as a lively café or food & beverage hub with terrace seating overlooking the water and Flaxmill Plaza. The planning application will also cover demolition and site preparation works, including utilities connections.
Mayor of Limerick John Moran said: "Given the growing positivity about Limerick’s future, we need more anchors for enterprise and development. They really won’t come any bigger than Cleeves Riverside Quarter. This, by any city standards, especially with plans for the new pedestrian bridge, is a phenomenal site, located on the banks of the River Shannon, in what is effectively the city centre.”
LTT Chair James Collins said, “Limerick Twenty Thirty has already delivered landmark projects for the city, including the award-winning Gardens International and One Opera Square, with further development at Opera Square ongoing. While most of our projects have primarily focused on commercial office space, Cleeves represents a significant step in addressing Limerick’s urgent need for new homes and student accommodation, meeting the growing demand for quality, accessible places to live. Alongside its commercial offering, the project will also deliver a major new public realm, opening up the riverside for the whole community.”
The estimated €400m programme has significant funding approved under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF). Subject to funding and market demand, it could be developed over a 6-year timeframe and will be the largest inner-city project ever undertaken in Limerick and one of the largest in the State.
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