€10 Million Motorway Plaza Plans Scrapped Near Limerick Tunnel

Plans for €10m Motorway Plaza in Limerick Uncertain

Pat McDonagh, the owner of Supermac’s, had plans for an Obama Plaza-style development near Limerick. However, these plans now seem unlikely to proceed. A new planning application was submitted for the same land next to the Limerick Tunnel, which previously earmarked a €10m project.

Softdrive, a company directed by Pat and Una McDonagh, aims to demolish abandoned industrial buildings on the site. The proposal includes constructing new light industrial warehousing, offices, and staff areas.

Details about the reasoning behind this shift in plans are unclear. A spokesperson for McDonagh declined to comment, citing ongoing planning applications.

In 2020, the Limerick Leader reported on initial plans for a motorway service station, which was expected to create up to 100 construction jobs and nearly 100 permanent roles upon completion.

Following the initial report, another firm, Atlantic Troy, sought planning permission for a similar project. Their plans included a convenience store and food court but were withdrawn early in 2021 after receiving multiple objections related to traffic and flooding concerns.

A decision on the current application is anticipated in January.