Limerick Development Plan
Limerick City and County Council is preparing a new Local Area Plan (LAP) for Rathkeale as part of its Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028. It will set out a land use strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the town. The Proposed Rathkeale Local Area Plan 2023-2029 was published in June 2022.
Submissions or observations are available online. There are departmental submissions as well as ones from Bernadette Naughton, Ciss Breen, Patrick Coleman, David Tobin, Maura Doherty, Patrick Flynn and David Lamont.
Housing
Within the Rathkeale Local Area Plan’s (LAP) Housing section there is the potential to boost the Rathkeale’s economy by 66%. However, the LAP is insufficiently specific to ensure this outcome. Therefore, Rathkeale Community Council, Team Rathkeale and David Lamont jointly requested a say in actual planning permission decisions.
Our underlying premise is that Rathkeale’s vibrancy depends on a stronger consumer economy that can be boosted if more full-time households move to the town and/or migrants spend more than 5 months here. Occupancy matters in Rathkeale as we estimate full time residents (including some Travellers) account for 94% of consumer spending and the large migrant population accounts for 6%.
We do not expect to get vote in such decisions and there are regulatory reasons why a homeowners’ association that sets neighbourhood standards cannot be mandated by the process. The planners may yet find a way of improving housing occupancy and investment confidence in Rathkeale within all the regulations. If they do not and the Rathkeale community is passive, the town’s future may be determined by developers. However, if you are not passive and would like to join the team, please introduce yourself by email to team@rathkeale.com
