NUI Galway development to provide 430 students beds

The green light has been given for the provision of the addition of almost 430 beds at the NUI Galway campus – but planners have ordered they cannot be used as holiday lettings during the summer months.

According to NUI Galway, the reason for the development is the fact that there is less private rental accommodation in the city and therefore it diminishes the university’s competitiveness.

Local residents opposed the development on the grounds of potential noise levels but their appeal against the decision of Galway City Council to grant planning permission for the student accommodation proved unsuccessful.

The proposed development will comprise 429 number bed spaces, generally arranged in 57 units of six en suite bedrooms, 11 units of five en suite bedrooms and eight units of four en suite bedrooms, with communal living areas in each unit.

It is also proposed to construct further communal areas and facilities, ancillary office and reception accommodation, internal plant and service rooms, while refuse storage and covered cycle storage facilities will also be provided to serve the entire development.

The development will be located on over three acres of land which is currently used as a temporary car park. Access to the residential accommodation is from the Upper Newcastle Road and will form part of the existing Corrib Village.

Residents of 13 properties at Upper Newcastle Road appealed the decision to grant planning permission for the student accommodation mainly on the basis of the night time noise that the development would potentially generate.

In the appeal, the residents said that noise from student and holiday-let accommodation would be audible and could be sharp and irritating as distinct from traffic noise.

“The development will add to the discomfort of the adjoining residential properties especially rear bedrooms. The existing Corrib Village accommodation of 772 beds has been let to tourists without a grant of planning permission.

“Letting of the additional proposed 429 beds to visitors as low-cost hostel type accommodation from from May to August will occur.

“If permission is granted for the proposed development, a total of 1,200 rooms will be available. The grant of permission for the conversion of the old Montrose Hotel [Dublin] to 190 student accommodation and holiday let units has a condition attached that limits the use to student accommodation only at all times of the year,” it is stated in the appeal.

The residents argued it allowed for the use of the accommodation for summer school seminars and university-related events without creating a ‘ghetto of budget accommodation’ for commercial gain.

They added that there was a serious risk of significant noise, annoyance, visual pollution and nuisance from car parking during the summer if there were holiday lettings.

An Bord Pleanála upheld the grant of permission but ruled that there must be no summer holiday lettings.