Limerick Council To Create Shopfront Design Guidelines
Limerick City North councillor Olivia O’Sullivan proposed an amendment to the Draft County Development Plan which would commit Limerick City & County Council to creating Shopfront Design Guidelines to provide for shopfronts and signage in Limerick City and throughout the county.
"The current City Development Plan (as extended) provided for far more protection around our shopfronts and signage than the new draft, and I brought this amendment to ensure we do not lose focus on our shopfronts and signage.
We are currently re-inventing our city centre with the O’Connell Street revitalisation, development at the Opera Site, World Class Waterfront project and the project at Cleeves.
Since Covid, retail business has been decimated and retail is evolving at an enormous pace, we will see a new city as a result with businesses sadly closing and new ones opening in their place.
It is more important than ever to provide extensive guidelines for our shopfronts and signage. I have researched what other local authorities around Ireland provide for, and we are behind the curve on this.
For Ireland’s third largest city we need to ensure Limerick city, and our county towns and villages, are presented in the best way possible. This means looking after our traditional shopfronts and catering for contemporary designs."
Shopfront Design Guidelines would encompass materials, signage, windows and entrances, illumination, canopies and awnings, shopfront planting/greenery, glazing, accessibility, noise etc.
Olivia O’Sullivan is a new councillor since 2019 and graphic design graduate of Limerick School of Art & Design, LIT.
The Draft Limerick Development Plan will be the blueprint for guiding Limerick for 2022-2018. It is now on display and the public can make submissions to it until September 6th 2021
Online here.
By email to [email protected]
By writing to the Forward Planning Dept in Limerick City & County Council, Merchants Quay, Limerick.
