A plan by the Catholic diocese of Limerick to sell off lands for £4 million in a city suburb for development is being opposed by local residents' groups.
The "Bishop's Field", located beside St Munchin's College in Corbally, is a green area used for recreation and also contains two Famine graveyards.
Last night the diocese revealed its plans to an invited group, including public representatives, the Corbally Environmental Protection Group, Corbally Road Residents and Abbey Sarsfield GAA club.
It is proposed to sell one-quarter of a 40-acre plot for a mixture of residential and commercial developments, including a village-style shopping centre, with about a dozen small shops, and a 50-bedroom hotel.
This, according to Father Leslie McNamara, president of St Munchin's College, "would create a focal point in Corbally and provide badly needed shopping and recreation facilities for the 12,000 or so inhabitants who live in Corbally and its hinterland".
He added that St Munchin's is one of the few large boys' secondary schools in Limerick that does not have modern sports and recreation facilities. The college also needs to secure its boundaries and modify its residential wings to accommodate current and future diocesan needs, now that boarding is being phased out in the school.
He said: "Contrary to public opinion, the church does not have access to endless funds and each diocese is a self-financing unit. We estimate that in addition to Department of Education-approved rents, £2.5 million will be needed to upgrade facilities at St Munchin's to meet present-day requirements.
"To generate this kind of capital, we simply have to sell part of the land adjoining the college. Any funds remaining from the proposed £4 million sale would be put towards other diocesan products such as the imminent restoration of St John's Cathedral and payment of the increasing number of lay pastoral workers in the diocese. Any reasonable recommendation will be considered before plans are finalised" he added.
Local groups claimed people did not want any more development in Corbally and wanted to use the field for recreation.