30-house estate approved for Coolough Road

Plans for the development of 30 new homes beside Crestwood on the Coolough Road have been given the go-ahead by Galway City Council.

Ray Grehan, one of the biggest boom time developers in Ireland and the UK who was declared bankrupt in 2011, is behind plans for the new estate.

Montane Developments (Ireland) Ltd, which is connected to the Kilkerrin native, originally sought permission for 30 homes on the 2.73-acre site adjacent to Crestwood.

Following a series of objections from local resident and concerns from Galway City Council over “inadequate” designs, significant revisions were made to the plans.

A total of 27 objections and submissions were made, relating to the site entrance being located on a dangerous position on a bend; insufficient parking; the development overshadowing Crestwood and other estates and antisocial behaviour in unsupervised open space areas.

Two sets of revisions were made to the plans, and 16 further objections and submissions were made, voicing concerns about the height of the three-level apartment block and issues caused by rock-breaking and damage to property during construction.

Residents also pointed out the adjacent road is used heavily by traffic and any development may impact safety.

They also said that the ‘Mass Rock’ national monument is located on the adjacent site.

Planners granted planning permission for the development, attaching a total of 22 conditions, including a stipulation that a cash deposit of €75,000 or insurance bond of €120,000 be lodged with the Council to ensure the satisfactory completion of roads, footpaths, sewers etc within the development. The developer must also pay over a development contribution of more than €297,000 to the Council.

They have ordered that a 20-metre buffer zone – delineated by fencing – be put in place around Mass Rock before any work begins, and all works must be monitored by an archaeologist who must stop work if there are any finds.

Construction work is restricted to between 8am and 6pm on Mondays to Fridays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, and a full schedule of works must be approved by the Council for any rock-breaking.

It was also ordered that the apartments must be repainted externally every four years.