End of the struggle: Student dormitory project in Safed gets green light

The struggle over the construction of student dormitories in Safed has come to an end: The Northern District Appeals Committee for Planning and Construction, chaired by Adv. Nili Ben-Moshe-Yadgar, has ruled that the Safed Academic College may proceed with its building permit for dormitories, an academic building, and commercial areas at the entrance to the Old City.

The project, promoted by the college—a branch of Bar-Ilan University—for over a decade, is located on a plot between Jerusalem and Palmach streets. The college has operated in Safed for about 40 years and serves thousands of students annually, yet it lacks its own dormitories. The project was previously allocated a budget of 42 million shekels by the Council for Higher Education, contingent upon meeting strict deadlines.

In its appeal, the college argued that the Local Committee’s refusal lacked planning justification and was driven by ulterior motives, including opposition to co-ed dormitories and the entry of certain populations into the Old City. The Local Committee maintained that its decisions were based solely on professional concerns regarding traffic congestion.

Following three hearings and the appointment of an independent traffic consultant, the Appeals Committee determined that the project could proceed with minor adjustments. The committee criticized the municipality's conduct, noting that the delays jeopardized tens of millions of shekels in state funding. It further ruled that if the Local Committee fails to issue the permit within 15 days of the applicant fulfilling all conditions, the applicant may turn to the National Licensing Authority to obtain it.

The Safed Municipality responded: "The District Appeals Committee examined the parties' arguments and accepted a significant portion of the Local Committee's arguments. If an amended application meeting all legal requirements is submitted, the Local Committee will act to promote it in accordance with the law."