THE PLANNING SCHEME for the €500 million development of a DIT campus at Grangegorman, Dublin 7 has been approved by An Bord Pleanála.

The 73-acre development – the first to be approved as a Strategic Development Zone in Dublin city – will comprise of an education and health campus, a primary school, a public library, and sports and recreation facilities.

The zone designation is available for projects which are deemed to have national social and economic importance.

However, an Bord Pleanála noted that three buildings which are proposed to be between 12 and 15 storeys in height will require separate planning permission applications because their height could have an impact on the city skyline.

CEO of the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) Michael Hand welcomed the board’s approval today, saying it would provide a planning framework for developing the site “and will contribute significantly to regeneration in this part of Dublin’s city centre”.

The development will combine the dozens of DIT colleges and bring over 20,000 students and staff together at one campus.

The site has been the location of mental health services including St Brendan’s Psychiatric Hospital, but patients and residents are being relocated to new purpose-built facilities on the North Circular Road part of the Grangegorman site.

President of DIT Prof Brian Norton said: “DIT is part of the fabric of Dublin city and we work closely with the communities around us.  It is very important to us that our new campus will not only provide a leading edge educational environment for DIT students, but that it also contributes to the development of the city and its economy.

The GDA says it intends to support the development through its own private funding, and says avenues for that funding include the sale of properties, philanthropy and savings made in ending leases.