Business owners and residents opposing the proposed use of a building in Limerick city centre by the Society of the St Vincent de Paul charity claim the city’s Georgian Quarter is reaching “saturation point” for providing social services.
The group has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against the recent decision of Limerick City and County Council to grant planning permission to the charity for a change of use of the Mechanics’ Institute, a listed building on Hartstonge Street in Limerick.
The SVP wants to change part of the building from its current use as an office to providing community support services for homeless people in Limerick.
The charity’s existing drop-in centre in Limerick, which opened in 2002, is located just a short distance away on the same street in Ozanam House.
SVP said it intends to provide food, shower and laundering facilities as well as counselling and housing services in the building.
In planning files, the group of business owners and residents stressed that they fully support and appreciate the great work that the charity does to serve society.
However, they claimed there has been a marked increase in the provision of social support services in the immediate area of Pery Square in recent years from organisations including Focus Ireland, Novas, St Vincent de Paul, the Simon Communities, the council and others.
While the group said such development was to be welcomed generally, it said it needed to be balanced “in order to represent a true cross-section of society in one concentrated urban area".
“It is currently felt by many that we are reaching a saturation point of social services in the Georgian Quarter which is significantly altering the residential environment,” the group stated.
Anti-social behaviour
They also noted there has been a stark rise in anti-social problems including aggressive interactions with some users of those services.
Residents claim to have witnessed numerous incidents of open substance abuse, intimidatory begging and criminal activity in the area which they said created “real fear and daily unease” particularly among older citizens.
They also expressed concern about the safety of young children attending a local national school and visiting the nearby People’s Park.
They claimed the concentration of social services in a small area runs contrary to the strategic vision of the Limerick City and County Development Plan 2023-2028.
“If the existing fabric, unique character and long-term future of the Georgian neighbourhood is to be safeguarded, the residential community must be maintained and balanced with the more transient nature of temporary support service users,” the group said.
They pointed out that many new residents in the area had invested heavily in renovating and saving period homes in the Georgian quarter, with some having reported burglaries, criminal damage and harassment.
“If this trend is to continue, it will actively discourage new residents in the area,” they added.
The group said Limerick’s Georgian Quarter had been revitalised in recent years through the tireless efforts of long-term residents, the council and private businesses to build a valuable tourist attraction.
However, they claimed such hard-won improvements and historic investment risk being wasted “if we do not counter the rapid rise of anti-social behaviour in the area which is already adversely affecting tourist numbers, bedroom occupancy and investor interest".
A separate appeal against the grant of planning permission by the owners of an adjoining building claims the proposed use of the Mechanics’ Institute by St Vincent de Paul could disincentivize further housing and employment development in the area.
They claimed it would not be unreasonable for the charity to develop a new, purpose-built facility as a better alternative than “shoehorning for emotional, historic reasons into the existing premises".
They also argued that the change of use would deprive the local community of a valuable facility that could be used to host meetings, plays, concerts and other events.
However, SVP said the growing demand for its services meant its existing premises in Limerick city are inadequate with many service users being forced to queue in a public lane.
The charity said it was “very important to preserve the dignity of service users” and the use of the Mechanics’ Institute building would allow its services to be provided in modern facilities.
A ruling by An Bord Pleanála on the appeals is due shortly before Christmas this year.
