The Limerick Chronicle - Tuesday, 07 September 2010.

Up to 4,000 jobs could be created in Limerick as regeneration project is stepped up

By Mike Dwane

ALL houses north of the railway line in Moyross – including Delmege Park, Pineview Gardens and Craeval Park as well as Sarsfield Gardens and Castle Park – are ultimately intended for demolition under Limerick Regeneration, the agency's chief executive Brendan Kenny has said. Up to 4,000 jobs could be created as a result.

Mr Kenny also said that O'Malley Park and Keyes Park would be demolished under the first two phases of the programme. Around half the houses in Carew Park and Kincora Park would be demolished and the rest retained and refurbished.

Wholescale demolition and replacement of homes in St Mary's Park and Ballinacurra Weston would have to wait longer, councillors were told this Monday night.

Many of replacement housing projects are intended for completion in the first five years of work before the demolitions take place. Mr Kenny said the rate of progress would depend on how consultation goes with residents.

Asked about plans for knocking all houses north of the railway through Moyross, Mr Kenny said many houses in Craeval, for example, had already been demolished and that work would continue as they find new accommodation for residents.

"It may be possible to keep some parts of it but the plan that everything north of that line is proposed for demolition," he said.

The recession and falling construction costs have seen the public funding commitment to the programme fall from €1.6 billion to €927 million.

While the masperplan had aimed to see the process through in 10 years, the timescale had now been extended to 15 although Mr Kenny told councillors he saw no reason why the original timescale ambition could not be met if the economy recovers sufficiently.

In a huge boost for the building trade, up to 4,000 people would be employed on the various construction projects.

Under the €337 million first phase of the programme, 25 new build projects had been identified for the next five years.
It is predicted that the construction of the new civic hub in Moyross, for example, would alone create 400 building jobs.