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AN BORD PLEANÁLA has given the green light for 368 student bed spaces in Dublin’s Liberties where the promoters are promising to provide high-end student accommodation “akin to a boutique hotel”
The appeals board has granted Summix FRC Developments Ltd planning permission under Government fast track planning rules in spite of local objectors who claim that the plan will lead to “studentification” of the area due to an over-concentration of student accommodation.
The ‘Ardee Point’ student accommodation scheme is to be operated by “luxury high end” UK-based student accommodation operator, NIDO Student.
According to consultants for the applicants, Thornton O’Connor Town Planning, NIDO Student “positions itself differently from standard student operators, providing accommodation akin to a boutique hotel and a range of services and events for both the residents and the local community”.
According to planning documents lodged with the appeals board, the NIDO Student “product is higher-end residences that include 24/7 security and night concierge service, housekeeping, maintenance and an experiential events programme focusing on social, learning and career events”.
The documentation states that NIDO “takes inspiration from a wide variety of specialist niches including boutique hotels, airlines, members’ clubs and luxury brands”.
However, residents and residents associations in the area told the appeals board that the current high levels of student housing in the vicinity and the increase of transient type accommodation will have a negative impact on the current community in the Liberties.
The objectors also claimed that Dublin 8 is at saturation point and there are over 5,000 student bed spaces either existing or planned.
A submission from members of Dublin City Council from the area claimed that the proposal will lead to anti-social behaviour from a transient community and cause a ghetto.
The student accommodation – which had the backing of City Council planners – will range from two storeys to eight storeys.
The appeals board inspector in the case, Karen Hamilton pointed out that the Council do not consider that the proposed development will lead to an over-concentration of student accommodation.
Hamilton also cited the applicant’s planning report which stated that the potential number of students living in the catchment area would be up to 8.7% of the total population and that this would not be an overconcentration of student accommodation.
Hamilton concluded that having regard to the national guidance for student bed space requirements, the location of the existing and proposed student accommodation relative to the site, the scale of the development and the number and location of higher and third level education facilities in the surrounding area, “I do not consider 368 student bed spaces would be excessive at this location”.
Hamilton stated that the design of the scheme is of high quality.
The board has granted planning subject to 18 conditions.
The planned student residence – to be located at the Brewery Block site bounded by St Luke’s Avenue, Brabazon Place/Row and Ardee Street at Dublin – is to have a gym and a cinema room.
Planning permission is already in place for 349 student bed-spaces at the site. The new application is to supersede those plans and is not be in addition to the already granted 349 beds.
In total, planning permission has been granted for 3,888 student bed-spaces within 1km of the site in the capital.
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You spend ages waiting on a bus and then 800 come along at once…
@The Alchemist’s Head: Rail seems to be the only way forward for inner city commuting. Its a logistical nightmare trying to set it up but I’d say its well worth it in the long run.
Great news but did I miss where the country has won the lottery recently? Where is all the money coming from? Or is it a case of when you are broke you might as well spend big?
@Bo bo: Interest rates are set at zero or negative by the European Central Bank and they are printing endless amounts of money for capital spending. The EU is providing lots of funds for green initiatives as well. There will never be a better time to do this.
@Bo bo: credit card!!
And where does the recharge power come from? Solar, wind, tidal? No, it would be fossil fuels.
This is window dressing.
@Fred the Muss…: Fossil fuel is being phased out rapidly. Moneypoint and coal will be gone by 2025.
@Fred the Muss…: The thousands getting hosed down by, & / or inhaling, diesel exhaust fumes daily probably won’t agree with that… besides, electric from renewables increasing every year – 15% in 2010, 33% in 2018, 37% in 2019. Compare that to the 15 years Euro 4 to Euro 6′s been around – zero improvements required re: CO2, & as for NOX – well, we all know how manufacturers have been getting around that.
@Fred the Muss…: yes Window Dressing that’s a great way of putting it, how the power is generated (electricity) and all the manufacturing processes especially the batteries the maintenance etcétera, then it has to start somewhere for it to develop
Good news for the environment but I wonder what the lasting impact of COVID on public transport will be. As someone sitting on a bus writing this right now it’s very hard not to view them as giant germ boxes with poor ventilation and inconsiderate fellow passengers. Will everyone who swapped the bus or train for the car over the past few months suddenly rush back after there’s a vaccine? I have my doubts.
@David Law: very simple. Your Leap card is replaced with the microchip you get as part of vaccination. You can’t get in the bus without the microchip.
@David Law: They will if the traffic is appalling.
How is the electricity required for the batteries produced?
@Claude Saulnier: How are the batteries actually produced ? Interesting to see how manufactured and recycled at scale when everyone drives electric
@Wadi:
‘We now have a contractual agreement with our cell manufacturers that they will use only green power to produce our fifth generation battery cells,’ BMW Chief Executive Oliver Zipse said…
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-bmw-electric-batteries/bmw-to-source-battery-cells-produced-using-renewable-energy-idUKKBN24114R
As for battery recycling, VW’s building a plant for that
https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/news/stories/2019/02/lithium-to-lithium-manganese-to-manganese.html
At what cost?
Don’t suppose any of these buses will be running all week so i can use them for work? or will it just be part time like the rest of them?
This looks like total greenwash as (It’s reported) the buses will still run for about 85% of the time on diesel and all need to be recharged at night at the same time. A much cheaper and better solution would be to buy the sort of modern Trolleybuses that are used in 300 odd cities worldwide. Modern Trolleys have enough battery power to run 50 or 60 Km in town and recharge from the overhead wires while in use. They also have lowered floors like all other modern buses. Also the problems with the poles coming off the wires is largely solved now but most importantly they are POLLUTION FREE.
@mmz: ‘the buses will still run for about 85% of the time on diesel’
Huh? This tender seeks buses with a 300kWh minimum battery. Think you’re confused with the hybrids.
Its a start but they will be refundant in 7/8 years with the batteries depleted and the cost of replacement prohibitive…..why are we once again the last country to look at hydrogen fuel cell technology…we should be following the advances made in Japan, Korea, China and Australia and adopt hydroggen for all HGV goods as well as promoting a whole new indusry for green hydrogen production….
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