30 objections to expansion proposals for Salthill filling station

Galway City Tribune – Nearly 30 local residents have submitted objections against plans by Maxol to extend its filling station in Lower Salthill to make way for a new off licence and seated deli area.

The fuel company had applied for permission for a single storey extension to the existing filling station to allow for an additional food preparation and new deli seating area, an off licence and alterations to sales area layout, new shopfront and a new exit at the rear of the site onto Fr Griffin Road.

Residents of Lower Salthill and Fr Griffin Road, as well as neighbouring businessman James Kelly of Kelly Office Supplies, mounted a campaign against the plans, with a series of concerns about noise and that the site would become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

There were also concerns that 24-hour retail activity at the site does not sit within a residential area, and that parking is already a big problem at the site, while the plans do not provide for parking for the café patrons.

Residents also noted that no traffic impact assessment had been prepared, “despite the proposed enlargement of site access onto an already congested Fr Griffin Road”.

They argued that a full traffic assessment be carried out during school term, as the route serves three local schools and is a main artery between the city and schools in the outer suburbs.

Objectors added that three roads – Lower Salthill Road, Fr Griffin Road and Whitestrand Avenue – and four exits at the filling station would converge, making it very difficult for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to manoeuvre safely.

Concerns were also raised about the management of toxic waste products from the carwash and from providing food and drink.

The Lower Salthill Residents’ Association said the area is mainly residential with many elderly residents and young families, and the development would contravene the City Development Plan which “speaks of the enhancement of existing neighbourhoods”.
This is a preview only. To read the rest of this article, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. Buy a digital edition of this week’s paper here.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and  county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.