Planning granted for 200-bed co-living development in Dublin

Leo Varadkar's running mate in the upcoming General Election also criticised the move.

A 210-bed co-living development in Castleknock has been granted planning permission.

The five-storey block, that has 182 rooms, is to be built on the site of Brady's pub and includes shared living areas, TV rooms and a roof terrace.

But local representatives have described it as a 'planning disaster', saying the development is entirely inappropriate to the suburban location.

"This disastrous decision is the direct consequence of the new planning guidelines by Minister Eoghan Murphy – these new rules are steadily dismantling high quality, community orientated planning in favour of substandard housing motivated purely by profit," Labour TD Joan Burton told 96FM.

While the development is in Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's constituency, the Fine Gael leader's running mate in the upcoming General Election also criticised the move.

"The concept of co-living is for urban locations with strong transport links and that would appeal to a mobile workforce," Cllr Emer Currie outlined. "This location, in my opinion, is completely at odds with the vision of co-living."