Big news for students of the college in Dublin city centre.

A massive new student accommodation block for students of Trinity College Dublin has been approved, with room for 250 units planned for Pearse Street. The Irish Times reports that Dublin City Council has given its approval for the €50m development, which will be built on the site of the existing five-storey Oisín House. In its place will be built a six-storey, 12,110 sq metre building in a scaled down version of a plan refused by An Bord Pleanála in the summer. The plan stated that the, "design and concept of the proposal has been previously approved by the City Council and with the reduction in height, mass and bulk and associated alterations to the roof profile will allow the new building to successfully integrate and be a more accepted edition to the built environment." It added that, “the new building is therefore unlikely to have a negative visual impact on the streetscape or on historic buildings within the campus and on the adjoining Printing House in particular.

“Further, the Planning Authority are satisfied with the high quality design and innovation of the scheme and recognise that the Design Team are responsible for designing 2 other statement buildings within the college campus, including Trinity Long Room Hub (award winning) and the library extension fronting Nassau Street.”

The report concludes: “Overall, it is not considered that the proposed development will have an undue negative visual impact on the setting of the protected structure or on the Conservation Area, and subject to condition, would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

The initial plan, opposed by An Taisce and rejected in July, had called for a seven-storey, 13,800-sq scheme with room for 278 units.