PLANNING permission has been granted by Limerick City and County Council for a significant student accommodation complex in the city centre.
111 student bed spaces will be delivered under the approved plans from Signature Trustee Services and local businessman Mark McMahon, who had sought permission to convert the former Railway Hotel across from Colbert Station on Parnell Street.
The Railway Hotel is a protected structure, so the approved plans won’t see the building undergo many changes, but will see the demolition of the former McEnry’s Shop, with a three story block built in its place on Parnell Street, while a seven storey building will be constructed on Davis Street.
The development will consist of six studio apartments and 19 multi-occupancy apartments, which will provide 111 new student bed spaces.
The ground floor of the development will see a cafe opened on Parnell Street, as well as a laundry, accessed via a courtyard for the residents of the building.
Permission was granted subject to 15 conditions, including that the developer provide a full palette of materials that they propose to use on the building, as well as guarantees that the development will be managed in accordance with the Student Accommodation Management Plan which will set out a maintenance plan for common areas, bin stores, and cycle storage.
It is hoped that the new development will be open to students for the 2025 college term.
Meanwhile, a further 202-bed development has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála on the Old Dublin Road.
The 202 beds will be contained in 26 apartments in three separate blocks.
The planning appeals board granted permission despite objections made against the development, subject to 22 conditions, including the provision of electric charging spaces for electric bikes, the provision of EV chargers in at least 10 per cent of the car parking spaces, and the provision of public lighting in the interests of safety.
