‘Co-living’ complex at Fumbally Lane gets permission despite objections

DUBLIN City Council recently approved plans by Britain’s “largest co-living company”, The Collective, to construct a new development containing dozens of co-living units at the corner of New Row South and Fumbally Lane in the Liberties.

The plans show a 144-bed hotel, a 69-room co-living complex, co-working or artists studios, and an events space.

Of the co-living units, 60 rooms would be 18 sq.m; six would be slightly larger, and three would measure 24 sq.m, and be wheelchair accessible. The company’s plans state that each shared accommodation unit would have access to a kitchenette facility for light snacks and refreshments and a larger communal kitchen/dining area for cooking.

The proposals, when they appeared last year, were denounced by local Labour senator Rebecca Moynihan.

I ❤️ Dublin 8. I was born here, live here, my heart beats D8. It is a place full of Dublin history but part of that history is poor housing conditions. We cannot let this happen again. We deserve secure, quality housing not pack em in #coliving https://t.co/lGOVCRKS11

— Rebecca Moynihan (@RebeccaMoy) May 22, 2019

Moynihan, who was re-elected to Dublin City Council last year before falling short of a Dáil seat in the general election, added: “We are a community not an investment opportunity.”

Local resident Muireann Grogan told the Dublin Inquirer that she wonders how residents of co-living complexes are surviving the Covid-19 crisis. “Imagine living that way now,” she said. “You would go mad in a tiny little cube.”