The University of Galway has been given the green light for a massive new project for the construction of a six storey study building.
The university intends to demolish five existing buildings located between the Arts Concourse and the Quincentennial Bridge to make way for new development.
In their place the University intends to build a new Learning Commons building, four to six storeys in height, which will include an automated book storage and retrieval system known as a “Book Bot” facility.
Planning permission for the new Learning Centre was granted by the city council with a total of 17 conditions attached.
The university must pay €506,650 to the city council as a contribution towards the cost of providing public services which will serve the development.
The ground floor of the proposed development incorporates a catering area, an exhibition space and a Learning Success Hub.
The upper floors of the building contain individual and group study areas, seating areas, a book pickup station, book collection areas, a teaching and learning space and office space and ancillary spaces.
There will also be a rooftop amenity space at the four storey element of the building.
The buildings which are to be demolished for this new development are located on the northern edge of the south campus.
They include No. 14 Distillery Road, Block T, the Storage Facility, the former Pharmacology building and the adjacent car parking area together with associated boundary walls and ancillary structures.
