Counter Culture / April 14, 2021

Phibsborough Shopping centre to be replaced by a co-living space

Counter Culture / April 14, 2021

Phibsborough Shopping centre to be replaced by a co-living space

Words: Dylan Murphy

The news comes in spite of the recent ban on co-living spaces.

An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for a new co-living development at Phibsborough shopping centre in Dublin.

The move has been approved in spite of the fact that the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien banned the shared spaces in December last year. Before the ban was introduced, numerous developers submitted applications for co-living houses that subsequently accepted.

The announcement was followed by news that 1491 co-living units had been given the go-ahead.

Speaking at the time Sinn Féin TD and housing spokesman, Eoin Ó Broin said:

“Unfortunately there are another 1,000 co-living bed spaces still in the planning process.”

“Seven applications were submitted between the time Darragh O’Brien became minister and when he eventually introduced his ban on the 22nd of December”.

Now, The Irish Times revealed that the application from MM Capital, owner of the Phibsborough shopping centre, has been accepted. The number of rooms in the co-living space will, however, be reduced from 321 to 297.

Speaking on the new accommodation, managing director of MM Captial Derek Poppingga said:

“The reason we changed to co-living was there had been a lot of student accommodation locally, but there was a huge demand for co-living that had not been met.”

“I think opposition to co-living is often driven by a lack of understanding of what it is. It is not the answer to the housing crisis, it is targeted to serve a section of the market who want social and enjoyable shared living.”

It is estimated that the construction of the new site will. take around two years, with development starting next week.

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