'Bat survey' needed to progress 1,400-bed Limerick student housing plan

PLANNERS have ordered developers to conduct a bat survey if they want to progress plans to build a complex providing 1,400 student beds.

As revealed by Limerick Live, Groody Developments are seeking the go-ahead for a purpose-built student accommodation scheme on land fronting Groody Road and Dublin Road in Castletroy.

Towering up between five and eight storeys, it would bring a total of 1,400 bed spaces, plus a library, a student union, a laundry room and two canteens.

Council planners, who are deliberating on the development, have put in a request for further information from the developer.

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As part of this, they are looking for “an assessment of the bat use of the site and the potential impacts on habitats or roost features on or within the zone of influence of the development."

“As such a bat activity survey of the site and a roost survey of any features within the zone of influence of the proposal must be conducted,” planners have stated in a letter to the developer’s representatives.

The application will not progress through council until this information comes.

Separately, Environmental Trust Ireland has written to the council urging it to refuse planning permission.

The group, whose president is city centre solicitor Michelle Hayes, stated the proposed development “displays a complete disregard for biodiversity loss and ecological crisis.”

The environmental group added the development site has links to the Shannon Estuary and contains areas of protected species such as otters, swans, bars, lamprey and Atlantic salmon.

They said the applicant had not carried out an “otter, amphibian or swan survey”.

They also said no study has been done on how it could impact the Groody River Basin.

Concern from Environmental Trust Ireland was expressed over traffic congestion.

This was reflected in a submission from three residents associations based in estates neighbouring the site who teamed up to write to council.

Caislean na hAbhann, Bru na Grudan and Curragh Birin residents groups have said they want the plans to reflect "a more realistic number of beds".

They've also asked the developer to acknowledge the impact the number of beds will have on traffic and parking in the surrounding estates.

"Reduce the number of beds, increase the number of car spaces provided and include part of the plans to allow for a slip road," they suggest.

Last year, a survey carried out by University of Limerick's student union UL Life revealed more than 35% of its members were being forced to commute long distances to Limerick, as well as stay in hotels, sleep in their cars, or reside in emergency accommodation due to a lack of housing.