Moyross parish priest Fr Pat Hogan, and Adrian Power, chair of the Moyross Partners Group, said Mayor Moran has, without warning, ordered a design review of a proposed 78-house development at Pineview Gardens, Moyross, without consulting locals.
They argued that his intervention in the development plans would not only delay the houses, which have been in the pipeline for ten years but would also compound ‘mental health issues’ and ‘addiction’ for people living in ‘overcrowded houses’ in the Limerick city northside estate.
‘Overwhelmingly the biggest need in this area is housing,’ said Mr Power, who said there was intense frustration that ‘there was no consultation with residents’ about the new mayor’s plans.
‘A lot of people here are living in mostly overcrowded homes, and on the council’s housing list waiting for homes to be built. Former residents who moved out during regeneration are also looking to move back to Moyross.’
Mr Power said he sent an invitation to the mayor’s office to meet local representatives and residents and consult them on his plans, but he got no response.
He added: ‘We are in the dark. As far as we were concerned the planning permission was supposed to be in, in the last month, and it was supposed to start very soon, but unfortunately that’s been stopped now.’
‘There are a lot of people here living together with three, four generations in one house. A lot of people are suffering from mental health issues, and addiction, along with a myriad of other issues. We would have always seen the Pineview Gardens development as a massive step in the right direction for tackling these issues, and for it to be stopped or reviewed or whatever it is now, raises huge concerns with us.’
Previously the estate was a crime blackspot, and the scene of a car petrol-bombing in September 2006, which engulfed two children, then aged four and six, who suffered life-changing injuries. The attack was the catalyst for the government to sign off on a multi-million euro physical and social regeneration of the estate.
The crime wave, which lasted from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, was tackled after the funding provided extra gardaí to the area, the demolition of houses, and the development of social facilities for vulnerable youths. Fr Hogan said the development has been put in jeopardy by the mayor’s intervention.
‘The mayor is now bringing in the Royal Institute for Architects in Ireland (RIAI) to do a whole new plan for Moyross – why would you do that to people? We are asking the mayor to please let this development go ahead,’ said Fr Hogan.
‘The biggest need in this area is housing, and when you don’t house people correctly, it leads to problems. One of the challenges facing the mayor is to eliminate [unemployment] blackspots in Limerick. However, if you stop housing developments, you’re actually adding to blackspots. Before you talk about housing, you must meet the people you are housing and ask them what their needs are.’
Defending his decision to order the design review, Mr Moran said he had indicated his plans in his manifesto before being elected mayor last June. The design review will, he said, look at ‘significant growth potential to set parameters for private and public housing on those lands so that a holistic vision of our new city emerges’.
He added: ‘I have already held meetings with the RIAI and the Land Development Agency in pursuit of this goal, which is included in my 101 Actions.’
‘In Limerick, we have only limited public land available and a deficit of affordable homes. The mayor also said he wants to see a train station in Moyross.’
But he asked: ‘Is it right to take a risk that the current plans for Pineview Gardens are not in line with the Government’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) strategy, that seeks to maximise the provision of housing, employment, public services and leisure space within close proximity to transport nodes?’
Mr Moran, who is now in charge of planning and council budgets in Limerick, said the design review ‘is to justify a train station in Moyross by rebuilding housing and other facilities consistent with the Government TOD strategy’.
‘We do not want to make a mistake today that could deny Moyross important infrastructure like a train station. I believe a small delay is worth avoiding that risk,’ the mayor said. Mr Moran added he ‘would be delighted to meet with all interested parties’ about his plans.