High Court quashes permission for 406-bed student accommodation in Cork
A computer-generated image of the proposed 406-bed student accommodation at the site of the former St Joseph's Convent on the Model Farm Road.
A High Court order has quashed planning permission for a 406-bed student accommodation project in Cork City and returned the application to An Comisiún Pleanála for further deliberation.
The approved application, lodged by Lyonshall Ltd in December 2024, sought to demolish the former St Joseph’s Convent on the Model Farm Road in Bishopstown to construct a purpose-built student accommodation complex, with an on-site cafe.
The proposed complex, comprising more than 50 apartments, ranging between three- and seven-bed spaces, and more than 70 studio apartments, would be delivered in two apartment blocks, ranging between two and five storeys in height.
Woodlawn Residents Association had opposed the application, citing a range of concerns, including impacts to traffic congestion and parking, as well as an unreliable public transport service; visual impacts to surrounding homes; and concerns for the density and concentration of the number of proposed units.
Judicial review proceedings were taken against An Comisiún Pleanála last July by the Woodlawn Residents Association and other local residents, Killian Kenny, Dan Byrne and Gerard O’Mahony.
An Comisiún Pleanála decided not to oppose the case, leading to the High Court order to send the matter back for reconsideration.
Kieran Coughlan, managing director of Lyonshall, said the decision to revert the application back to An Comisiún Pleanála would “inevitably lead to further delays, leaving students without accommodation”.
“Our company is developing a purpose-built student accommodation facility designed to address the critical shortage of quality student housing in Cork,” said Mr Coughlan.
“The project represents a significant investment in Cork accommodation and has been designed to meet the highest standards of sustainable development whilst contributing to the city's compact growth objectives.
“The development received planning permission following a comprehensive assessment process, however, this permission was subsequently challenged by the applicants on three essentially procedural grounds and ACP [An Comisiún Pleanála] has since decided not to contest the challenge.
“This decision was made largely on the basis of one ground relating to their [Woodlawn Residents Association’s] interpretation in the planning decision of the Sustainable Residential and Compact Settlement Guidelines in the context of the Cork Development Plan.
“We remain fully confident in the merits of this development,” he added.
“This judicial review will inevitably lead to further delays, leaving students without accommodation, and while we had hoped to have it operational for the 2028 academic year, it has now been pushed back by at least a year."
Chairperson of Woodlawn Residents Association Maurice Leahy said local residents decided to challenge the application for a number of reasons and hoped the site would be used for family homes in the future.
“The decision was challenged on a number of grounds, including legal error in the calculation of the appropriate density, misinterpretation of national guidelines, failure to comply with mandatory regulations, and breach of fair procedures,” said Mr Leahy.
“Prior to the case being heard by the High Court, An Comisiún Pleanála conceded that it had erred in its decision, with special reference to the density and consented to the quashing of the decision.
“The residents have consistently stated that they would welcome much-needed family homes on the site, consistent with the Cork City Development Plan's objective of developing a new residential neighbourhood.”
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