Proposed student accommodation to offer 1,780 beds for students

The plans for the Liberties would bring the student population of the district to 8%

 

New proposals for student accommodation have emerged in the Liberties area in Dublin’s inner-city. The proposed plan for the new accommodation would bring the student numbers from 4% to 8% of the population, according to figures put forward by Cairns Homes.

The affected area is located within a kilometre of Cairns’ main property proposal on Cork Street, which currently holds 1,499 student beds. This primary site of the proposition is a conversion of the Donnelly Centre, a large self-storage facility, which would become a student housing complex containing 399 beds.

Cairn Home’s proposed property, is planned to consist of a seven story building, gardens and an independent retail unit. The complex would also contain amenities ranging from study rooms to a café.  

At a recent meeting of the Dublin City council’s South Central Area Committee, councillors raised concerns surrounding the over-abundance of student accommodation in the area. Several councillors noted that more student accommodation in the neighbourhood would not provide the same bonuses to residents as residential accommodation.

Under the Part V provisions, the city gains more than 10% of developments of over 10 units, but not from student accommodations- had the student accommodations been for general use, the council would have gotten up to 178 homes from the proposal.

Speaking at the meeting, Independent Councillor Paul Hand said: “I do understand the logic that if you put student accommodation in, you may free up beds elsewhere, but I do still think it’s a bit of a shame that we’re not going to get residential accommodation”.

Eoin O'Donnell

Eoin O'Donnell is the current Leader Writer of Trinity News. He is a Senior Sophister History student, and a former Deputy Comment Editor and Deputy Investigations Editor.