Developers unveil plans for almost 400 new homes on former Limerick racecourse

The proposed development is one of the major elements of a masterplan for the former racecourse which aims to provide a mixed-used development consisting of an office campus, 831 housing units, a neighbourhood centre, crèche and 120-bed nursing home. The former racecourse was bought by a number of Limerick businessmen for €8m in 2019.

Voyage Property said the masterplan was designed to unlock the development potential of largely undeveloped and underutilised lands within the suburbs of Limerick city and would play a crucial role in delivering the required number of new houses needed in Limerick.

Consultants for Voyage Property noted that the lands are subject to flood risk but said the masterplan had recommended proposals to fill parts of the lands as necessary together with other flood defence measures.

The apartment complex will be spread across three blocks ranging in height from four to five storeys, while the development will also contain a two-storey childcare facility as well as car park spacing for 510 vehicles.

Voyage Property acknowledged that its plans represent a material contravention of the Limerick City Development Plan relating to minimum floor areas and open spaces for apartment developments but argued they complied with the more recent apartment guidelines issued by the Department of Housing in 2020.

The company has also reached an agreement in principle to transfer 37 units on the site to Limerick City and County Council for social and affordable housing with Clúid Housing signalling its interest in acquiring the homes. The Greenpark Racecourse, which suffered problems with flooding, closed in 1999 when a more suitable location for a racetrack was found at Greenmount Park in Patrickswell.

It was also the scene of several notable events apart from horse racing including a visit by US president, John Kennedy in 1963, the venue of Irish runner, John Treacy’s victory in the World Cross Country Championship in 1979 and a few months later the final stage of the historic first papal visit to Ireland by Pope John Paul II.