The €180 million (US$201 million) Opera Centre site designed to completely transform Limerick city center has been given the go-ahead following a decision by An Bord Pleanála, after a lengthy oral hearing.
The development includes a 14-story apartment tower building at Bank Place close to the River Shannon as well as several large commercial buildings joined by a public plaza.
Limerick City and County Council, as well as the Limerick Twenty Thirty company set up by the Council to oversee the development, dubbed “One Opera Square,” welcomed the decision as they say it will be transformative for the city.
The development was opposed by the Limerick Georgian Society as the proposed tower was seen as out of character with the Georgian heritage of the location, directly across from the Hunt Museum.
An Taisce, an environmental NGO, also opposed the development saying it would endanger a number of bat species whose habitat was located in one of the old Georgian buildings.
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