Major update on UL's bid to open in Limerick city centre

AN INSPECTOR with the national planning body has said University of Limerick’s plans to change the use of a former city centre supermarket should not be allowed - because its plans do not contain student accommodation.

Dáire McDevitt, a senior inspector with An Bord Pleanala, says University of Limerick (UL) proposals to formally change the use of the former Dunnes Stores in Sarsfield Street do not comply with local planning objectives for projects like these.

In his reasoning, he wrote if new college campuses are developed, they should have “considerable capacity for high quality student accommodation” under the Limerick Development Plan.

On top of this, he said a “landmark tall building” should be developed for this “gateway site”.

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He also wrote developments like this should “ensure the highest quality design of the public realm and ensure the provision of green infrastructure is a key component of the design and layout”.

“That has not been complied with. Therefore, the development on said lands, would not be in accordance with local, regional or and national planning policy,” Mr McDevitt wrote.

Despite his comments, An Bord Pleanala’s decision making body rejected the recommendation and gave UL permission to formally change the use of the site it purchased back in 2019 and began to operate from after the Covid-19 pandemic from retail to educational use.

The landmark building, off Sarsfield Bridge, was brought back into full time use after lying largely derelict since Dunnes Stores closed its branch there in 2008.

The acquisition of the former supermarket by the college for €8.3m was the subject of a critical report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) which revealed UL had sought no formal valuation of it prior to purchase.

The C&AG said another suitable location for a city centre campus at the nearby Opera Centre site would have been available for €3m - more than €5m under what UL paid.

Last year, independent valuers ruled that the college had overpaid for the Dunnes Stores site by around one-third.

Limerick City and County Council had approved the change of use at Sarsfield Street.

But an appeal was made to An Bord Pleanala by two parties.

One person claimed the change of use failed to meet the objective of developing a landmark building on the site incorporating high-quality student accommodation - something the An Bord Pleanala inspector picked up on.

Another appellant claimed UL should have applied for retention permission rather than a change of use as it had already started teaching classes in a portion of the building.

However, An Bord Pleanala’s decision makers ruled that the change of use to education would not prejudice the objectives of the local development plan.

It stressed the change of use of the former Dunnes Stores building was “a staged approach” to the final redevelopment of the site.

The university also pointed out it had a contract with Limerick City and County Council over the use of some space in the building.

UL said no concerns about flooding of the site had been raised by the council.

It also confirmed no student accommodation was being proposed at the vast site.

It’s anticipated the former supermarket - on an area of land measuring 5,618 square metres, will welcome law, business and entrepreneurship students.

In its final ruling, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed development at the site would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.