Plan for 200 student bed spaces in Limerick put on hold
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Plans for over 200 new student bed spaces near the University of Limerick have been put on hold after locals lodged an objection with An Bord Pleanála.
Limerick City and County Council had last month approved the large-scale residential development on the Old Dublin Road in Rhebogue in the city, which includes 202 student beds across 26 apartments in the five-storey development.
However, the plans attracted a number of objections from locals and councillors, who cited the environmental impacts, the effect on residential amenities, and traffic congestion among their concerns.
Planners on behalf of Kearock Investments Ltd had told the council that the proposed site was “strategically located and ideally suited” for student housing.
“In terms of accessibility the proposed scheme is within 10-minute walking distance and five minutes cycling distance of the UL Plassey Campus and within 500m of two nearby retail parks,” they said. “There are dedicated cycle and footpath corridors fronting the site and frequent bus routes within 250m.”
In an accompanying report on student housing demand in the area, it said there was currently “an acute shortfall” in the amount of student accommodation required in Limerick.
“The excess demand is exacerbated by the housing crisis and now the refugee crisis,” it said. “Local hotels are taking students who are without alternatives.”
Planners added that this proposed development would not be a “panacea” for these issues but would “still go some way to alleviating this deficit in the medium term”.
Local Fianna Fáil councillors Kieran O’Hanlon and Catherine Slattery said that the “height, bulk and scale” of the proposed apartment blocks would result in "visual overbearing, loss of privacy and significant over-shadowing".
“As a private development, not associated with University of Limerick in any way, local residents have serious concerns over the future management of the development, such as dealing with potential anti-social behaviour and other issues that may arise,” they wrote.
A local resident association's objection also received dozens of signatures.
The locals who have appealed the decision to grant permission to An Bord Pleanála cited similar issues to the other concerns raised.
One wrote the parking plans would leave just 13 parking spaces for 200 students.
"This glaring inadequacy will lead to students parking their vehicles in places outside of the proposed development and disrupting local businesses and communities," they said.
Another said the development was unsuitable for a residential area and cited a number of reasons, including: “Noise pollution due to the fact that 202 students and all their friends have a communal public area only feet away from my back door”.
An Bord Pleanála is due to make its decision on the appeal in late May.