The Business Post is seeking planning approval that could help preserve an important revenue stream at the Irish Management Institute campus in Sandyford, a development that adds another notable chapter to media Ireland. The move underlines how media and education-linked assets are increasingly being adapted to support commercial resilience in a changing operating environment.
According to planning documents lodged with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, IMI Leadership Ltd wants retention and permission to allow film production companies to continue using the campus. The application also covers existing office use tied to Business Post and Red C operations on site.
Why the IMI campus application matters in media Ireland
The core argument is straightforward: occasional use by film companies helps diversify income and strengthens the long-term viability of the IMI. Planning consultants acting for the applicant said the productions provide short-term, high-value economic activity while making practical use of rooms that might otherwise sit empty during quieter periods.
That point is particularly relevant in the context of the Irish media industry, where operators are under pressure to build more flexible business models. In this case, the campus is being positioned not just as an education setting, but as a multi-use asset capable of supporting training, office functions and screen-sector activity.
Key elements in the proposal
- Retention and permission for continued film company use at the Sandyford campus
- Retention of office use linked to Business Post and Red C
- Support for alternative income streams at a time of weaker in-person course demand
- Assurance that educational use would remain the primary function of the site
The planning report argues that the proposed arrangement would not undermine the campus’s educational character. Instead, third-party uses would remain secondary and would only occupy space when not required by IMI itself.
Revenue diversification and wider media trends Ireland
For anyone tracking media trends Ireland, this is a clear example of how organisations are looking beyond their traditional core activities. The report points to a sharp decline in enrolments in in-person courses, describing it as part of the longer tail of the Covid-19 period. Against that backdrop, leasing space to film companies becomes more than a side business; it becomes a strategic buffer.
It also speaks to broader conversations in media industry Ireland around asset utilisation, hybrid working and commercial sustainability. Film-related use can bring direct revenue while supporting local production activity, with occasional on-site mobile units for wardrobe, make-up, props and catering also referenced in the application.
What else stands out
The campus, which extends to 5.1 hectares, remains under the ownership of University College Cork. Meanwhile, the Business Post Group continues to evolve at corporate level. In June, Swedish media group Bonnier News agreed a deal to take a majority stake in the group, subject to regulatory approval, following an earlier minority investment agreement.
In media news Ireland, that combination of ownership change, campus repositioning and mixed-use planning tells a bigger story: media businesses are becoming more operationally inventive as they seek durable income sources.
The takeaway for media Ireland
This planning bid is about more than property paperwork. It reflects a wider push across media Ireland to future-proof operations, unlock underused assets and create new commercial pathways without abandoning core identity. If approved, the continued use of the IMI campus by film companies would offer the Business Post Group a practical model of diversification at a time when resilience matters more than ever.
