Green light for major student apartment complex on landmark Cork city site

Artist impression of the Square Deal / Washington Street development. Supplied by Digital Dimensions.

An Bórd Pleanála has approved plans for a 280-bed student apartment complex in Cork city with a raft of conditions including one to protect an important view of the city’s landmark St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

The board, which considered the proposal for the former Square Deal site on the city’s Washington St under the strategic housing development (SHD) process, approved the plan lodged by IRE Real Estate Investment Partners Fund II after its inspector said the proposed development is “acceptable in principle on this under-utilised city centre site and contributes to an established need for student accommodation in this city”.