Additional retail and commercial space in Tuam blueprint

Sorting out additional retail space – to include provision for major supermarkets – is likely to form a key part of the new development blueprint for Tuam.

That would include a new Tesco store with the potential for a new hotel and shop units also under consideration the new plan.

Lands around the town have been rezoned from residential to commercial and retail – and this provides the opportunity for one of the ‘major players’ to arrive in Tuam.

There are plans by Tesco to provide a new store on a 20 acre site on the Milltown Road while there is potential for a new hotel and retail park on the Galway Road.

It now means that Tuam can develop into a retail and commercial hub, declared Cllr Donagh Killilea who proposed the planning designations of three crucial areas in Tam.

The Tuam Area Plan came up for discussion at a meeting of Galway County Council and it was decided by councillors to endorse three particular areas of the town for both retail, commercial and residential development.

Tuam area councillors agreed to provide the town with designations that would allow for major retail development along with housing – it is now hoped that some of the big supermarket chains will apply for planning.

It is known that Tesco are already interested in a major site on the Milltown Road in Tuam – and have been for years – and a planning application to this extent is expected to be lodged within a matter of months.

There is a large site on the Galway Road in Tuam which has been earmarked for ‘mixed use’ development and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a new hotel could be located there.

The site would also accommodate a number of retail units but it would prove a major boost for Tuam as all developments would be located between the two new roundabouts that have been provided as part of the overall motorway development.

Meanwhile, around 40 acres of land on the Dublin Road has been designated for housing and could potentially accommodate more than 500 accommodation units.

Cllr Donagh Killilea said that Tuam needed more retail space and that was why he was endorsing additional designations for some of the ‘main players’ to come into the town. He was supported by Fine Gael’s Cllr Tom McHugh.

“For too long, the town has been haemorrhaging business to the likes of Claremorris and Galway city and it is high time that we provided proper retail space for our own.

“We have now agreed that lands have been designated to accommodate some of the main retail chains and at the same time we have made provision for much needed housing in the town.

“It is imperative that we develop Tuam as a retail hub of North Galway and I think that the designations that we have suggested will work and benefit the town into the future,” Cllr Killilea added.