Sir, The recent grant of planning permission by Limerick Corporation for a "heritage street" opposite King John's Castle, in the medieval centre of Limerick city, is open to serious objection on conservation grounds. The centre is an urban area of national importance which is currently in grave danger from ill considered redevelopment.
In recent years, an otherwise laudable commitment to urban renewal has become hijacked by insensitive, profit driven building. A ring road is currently being built through King's Island, obliterating medieval street patterns near Baal's Bridge that probably date back to the origins of the city. On the specious pretext of modernity the front of the Norman castle has been obscured by an ugly structure of slat grey steel which is generally regarded as an expensive eyesore. The same firm of architects has now designed a pastiche street opposite the Norman castle in a style which has been properly described as Tudorbethan - entirely out of keeping with anything that is known about the historic streetscape of that part of Limerick, in any era.
Perhaps it is not too late to register a protest against the destruction of a unique part of Ireland's urban architectural heritage, and to hope that this might not be allowed to happen. Or is it too late? Finally, the proposed removal of the Limerick civic museum from a house in a restored early Georgian square to a bogus heritage street should only serve to underline the misguided motives of the projectors of this scheme. It would be rather tragic if having saved the remains of historic Dublin, we allow comparable acts of destruction to take place in the provinces in the name of progress. - Yours, etc.,
Palmerston Place,
Dublin 7.