€45m project planned for IT Tallaght campus
By Laura Lyne
PLANS for the expansion of the IT Tallaght campus look set to begin within the next six months.
A planning application for a projected €45 million develop-ment for the college that includes two new multi-use buildings, a new entrance, landscaping and enhanced pedestrian crossing facilities at the Greenhills Road is set to be submitted to South Dublin County Council.
The planning application, which is due to be submitted in the coming weeks, is for a 3,280 sq.m. Sport Science, Health and Recreation Building that includes a grass playing pitch with spectator seating and a 6,402sq.m. four-storey building that includes general teaching accommodation, a restaurant, meeting rooms and administration offices.
It is for lands located near the Greenhills Road entrance to the college, with work expected to take place in a phased development process subject to funding.
Paul Campbell, ITT Estates Manager, told The Echo that the planning application is being submitted with a view to finding funding if planning permission for a duration of 10 years is granted.
Mr Campbell said: “If we manage to get the planning permission for the project, and funding in place for the development, the overall cost is projected to be about €45 million.
“These plans are smaller than the previous plans we had in place, which were part of the larger project for the college which was cancelled in 2011.
“Last time it was through public private partnership (PPP), and this time we’ll be doing the development ourselves.
“The hope is now that we get planning permission and we can go to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in June for funding to get the development started.
“Our aim is to start within less than a year. The college is really restricted on space, with new programmes being added without space for them.
“The main aim is to get the multi-use building started with the sports hall, which will also include facilities for our Sports Science course.”
The plans also include landscaping for new footpaths, 50 bicycle parking spaces and 69 car-parking spaces.
If plans go ahead, they will follow the recent acquisition of Premier House, located beside The Square shopping centre, as another teaching space for the college and the completion of the college’s Centre of Applied Science for Health (CASH).
