Limerick Twenty Thirty (LTT) is set to lodge the planning application for the €400 million Cleeves Riverside Quarter, the largest project in its regeneration portfolio.

The application follows a detailed master-planning and design process for the 10-acre site on the banks of the River Shannon and marks a major step in transforming one of the city's most recognisable industrial locations.

Ahead of submission, the full plans were presented today (October 22) to the public at The Flaxmill building, Cleeves Riverside Quarter. The plans will also be available on the Limerick Twenty Thirty website for those who were unable to attend. The project has benefited from multiple stages of public engagement, including the 2023 master-planning process and two consultation sessions held in June 2025. Following the public display, the planning application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála next week, with a decision expected before the end of 2026.

A briefing for elected members will take place on Thursday, October 23, before the formal lodgement of the application.

The Cleeves Riverside Quarter development represents a key phase in Limerick's urban renewal, providing accommodation for around 1,000 residents through 234 new homes and 270 purpose-built student units. The scheme also includes 299 sqm of commercial space, a creche, and almost two acres of public realm featuring new parks, plazas and landscaped areas. The plans include the creation of Reservoir/Quarry Park, Flaxmill Square, and a Riverside Corridor, designed to enhance public access and support both community use and city-scale events.

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The project will deliver new opportunities for water-based recreation via the on-site reservoir and River Shannon frontage. A further 299 sqm of riverfront commercial space at O’Callaghan Strand is proposed for café or food and beverage use, with terrace seating overlooking the water and Flaxmill Plaza.

The application covers all demolition, site preparation and utilities connection works required to enable construction.

The first phase of the project focuses on heritage restoration of the iconic Flaxmill building, including stabilisation, consolidation and roof repairs. The contractor for these works has been appointed, with construction expected to commence later this year.

Phase three will deliver the Technological University of Shannon Campus, incorporating student facilities and lecture spaces within the Flaxmill, Infiltration Gallery and North Circular Road plots. The final phase will see development of the adjacent shipyard site, completing the Cleeves Riverside Quarter regeneration.

Mayor of Limerick John Moran said: "It is great news to see the planning application for this disused site. Given the growing positivity about Limerick's future, we need more anchors for enterprise and development. They really won’t come any bigger than Cleeves Riverside Quarter. This, by any city standards, especially with plans for the new pedestrian bridge, is a phenomenal site, located on the banks of the River Shannon, in what is effectively the city centre."

LTT Chair James Collins added: "Limerick Twenty Thirty has already delivered landmark projects for the city, including the award-winning Gardens International and One Opera Square, with further development at Opera Square ongoing. While most of our projects have primarily focused on commercial office space, Cleeves represents a significant step in addressing Limerick’s urgent need for new homes and student accommodation, meeting the growing demand for quality, accessible places to live. Alongside its commercial offering, the project will also deliver a major new public realm, opening up the riverside for the whole community."

The €400 million development has secured significant support under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) and, subject to funding and market conditions, could be delivered over a six-year timeframe. It will be the largest inner-city project ever undertaken in Limerick and among the largest in the State.

Cleeves Riverside Quarter is known for its 142ft red-bricked chimney stack, a reminder of its industrial past as home to the Cleeves Condensed Milk Company, which once employed 3,000 people and supported 3,000 farmers across Ireland. The site also holds political significance, having been a key location during the Limerick Soviet of 1919.

Since its acquisition by Limerick Twenty Thirty in 2021, the site has been used for cultural and community events, reflecting its ongoing value to the city and its potential as a vibrant urban destination.