By Suzanne Cooper
An Bord Pleanala recently granted permission to NUI Maynooth to extend their campus residences.
They decided that the proposed development “would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
The North Campus Student Housing Complex, consisting of four courtyard buildings of 3-9 storeys in height, will include 77 student apartments, a residents’ office, a student social room and a retail unit.
The new residences will be a welcome addition to the campus for many students. A current first-year Arts student in NUIM felt that “there is a severe lack of accommodation on campus at the moment, with many students having to seek accommodation in the actual village itself. This expansion would allow more students to get accommodation closer to the campus, and bring down the overall cost of accommodation. Since it is so scarce, the cost is astronomical.”
Residents currently living on campus also agree with the planned expansion of Maynooth’s accommodation, with one student remarking that “Yes, a development is definitely needed on campus. Accommodation is excellent for first years to get used to college life
and is also excellent for final years because of the availability to facilities and the fact that everything is close at hand. A lot of people lose out due to the small number of available apartments but it should also be noted that existing accommodation should also be developed more, with services like wireless internet being available in all apartments.”
Another first year NUIM Arts student also commented to the College View “that people have difficulty getting it (on campus accommodation) sometimes, apparently it books up fast. It is good accommodation though. I think more of it would be good.”
Current campus accommodation houses nearly 900 of the approximately 8,400 students currently attending the university.
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