Update issued on €300m student accommodation project for Limerick

THE DEVELOPER behind a massive 1,400-bedspace student housing development near University of Limerick has issued an update on the plans to construct the €300m scheme.

Groody Developments Ltd has secured planning permission from Limerick City and County Council for the development, on land fronting Groody Road and Dublin Road in Castletroy.

It's anticipated the buildings will tower up between five and eight storeys. The monster development will consist of 196 'clusters' across five separate blocks, the application shows.

According to the bluieprint, alongside the bed spaces, there will also be a number of other amenities for students, including a library, a union, a laundry room and two canteens.

Now Whitebox Developments, which is promoting and marketing the scheme, has said it expects work to begin in the next three months.

It will be delivered in two phases, with the first - comprising 724 beds – to be completed by mid-2028. The second phase will be completed 12 months later.

In total, approximately 500 people will be employed during construction, with 75 people employed on an ongoing basis at the completed campus.

Pictured above: Martin White, managing director, Whitebox; Education Minister James Lawless, Niall Harrington, founding partner, Whitebox and Senator Dee Ryan PICTURE: Brian Arthur

Education Minister James Lawless said: “We commend Groody Developments Ltd for their commitment to Limerick and look forward to seeing more partnerships that deliver for students and communities alike. I warmly welcome the 1,400-student bed development. With student numbers continuing to grow, this private sector–funded project represents a vital step forward in ensuring our learners have access to safe, modern, and well-connected accommodation. This investment in student housing is a win for the entire Limerick academic community. Mary Immaculate College students, like those at University of Limerick, will benefit directly from this accommodation.”

Martin White, managing director of Whitebox, said: “This is a hugely important investment for Limerick, and we are proud to be delivering a project that will make a real, lasting difference for students, families, and the entire region. The scale of this development reflects our confidence in Limerick’s future as a thriving academic and economic hub, and our belief that students deserve access to quality, affordable, modern accommodation.”