Regeneration Developments has won planning consent for a €250m (£167m) retail development scheme in Limerick, Ireland’s third-largest city

Construction of the 350,000 sq ft (32,516 sq m) Opera Centre, believed to be the biggest retail scheme in the south-west, is expected to begin shortly.

Suneil Sharma, chief executive officer of Regeneration Developments, said: ‘We believe that we have brought together a site and presented plans that will make the Opera Centre one of the landmark retail destinations in the country.

‘City centre locations of this quality and with this access to a young and growing population are very rare and we are already enjoying strong interest from some leading European retail brands.’

Andrew Mawhinney, Limerick city centre co-ordinator, added: ‘Limerick is enjoying a renaissance and this decision is very good news for the city.’

Hamilton Osborne King, CB Richard Ellis and Gary McDowell have been appointed as agents for the scheme.