Trinity College Dublin are to redevelop Oisín House on Pearse Street into a 250-bed accommodation project after receiving verbal confirmation from Dublin City Council.
The original 278-bed project was rejected last July by An Bord Pleanála due to the architectural conservation of the proposed seven-storey student accommodation.
However, the redesign was approved by the College Board in late October and speaking to TCD’s Student Union council on the 24th of January, TCD President Patrick Prendergast said “we have just received planning permission.”
“We haven’t received paperwork, but we’ve just received verbal update that we have planning permission to build” said Prendergast.
An Taisce opposed the original plans expressing concerns to the Council over the height of the proposed project saying that the building would not fit the streetscape in a “highly sensitive location approaching College Green and close to the Old Squares of the college.”
The deadline of submissions to object the revised plans was on January 16th and speaking to the University Times, the Dean of Students, Professor Kevin O’Kelly, said “An Bord Pleanála verbally confirmed to us that no objections were submitted by the deadline”
Trinity are now seeking contractors to turn Oisín House, a five-storey 1970’s office block, into a modern student accommodation and sports complex.
It is reported that the redevelopment will cost up to €52 million to complete. The European Investment Bank (EIB) loaned Trinity €70 million last November to help fund the Oisín House project along with the new Trinity Business School and a population health research centre in Tallaght.
The finished complex will include two retail units at the bottom floor, a new health and disability centre as well as sport facilities in the two basement floors.
Installation of 125 parking spaces are to accompany the site as well as three new disabled parking spaces.
Part of the Printing House, which faces the back of Oisín House, will be demolished to make way for construction which will be finished at the earliest possible date of April 2019, while it’s possible that the project will get under way by the end of the month.
William Dunne
Image Credit: TCD