In May 2024, Limerick City – King’s Island, was one of 26 town centres that was successful in securing funding under Strand 1 of THRIVE – the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme. The funding of €200,000 supports local authorities to develop a new Integrated Urban Strategy or enhance an existing one. THRIVE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.
THRIVE incorporates the core values of the New European Bauhaus – sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. The scheme promotes a citizen-centred community-led approach to planning, design and project selection under the Town Centre First Framework. THRIVE is focused on publicly owned heritage buildings. Heritage buildings under the scheme are classified as structures that form part of the architectural heritage and have unique architectural, historical, archaeological or artistic qualities, or are linked to the cultural and economic history of a place.
Limerick City and County Council published the King’s Island Walled Town Framework (KIWTF) in 2024 prior to successfully obtaining THRIVE funding. On receipt of funding, LCCC undertook further analysis and public engagement in various forms to produce this document. This document is now the Kings Island Walled Town Enhanced Integrated Urban Strategy (IUS):
- Covering the geographical area of the King’s Island Walled Town.
- It describes the existing strategic documents concerning the study area.
- Provides analysis of the development needs and potential of the area.
- Outlines the integrated approach to address the identified development needs and potential of the area.
- Outlines the partners involved and the multi-level governance and bottom-up approach.
- Lists the potential projects for the redevelopment/regeneration or adaptive reuse.
- Identifies the priority project for which a funding application will be made to Strand 2 of THRIVE which is seen as key to activating the wider King’s Island area.
