Ceannt station commercial project still on agenda

In the heady days of the mid-noughties it was close to being a billion euro mega project . . . now one economic collapse later, the commercial overhaul of Ceannt Station is to be a far slower and more modest development.

CIE have confirmed to the Galway City Tribune that while the commercial development of the station area was still very much on the agenda, it would in all probability, be on a phased basis over the coming years.

Barry Kenny, Corporate Communications Manager with Iarnród Éireann, said that it was now likely to be 2016 before a tender notice would be issued by CIE seeking a commercial partner to develop part of the site.

“While there had been very ambitious plans in place for a massive commercial development of the site, these fell by the wayside when the economic crisis occurred.

“But we are still looking at a prime city centre site. Of all our rail stations around the country, Ceannt is bang on in the middle of the city. It certainly does have major commercial potential,” said Barry Kenny.

He said that currently CIE were in the process of seeking a commercial agreement for their Tara Street station in Dublin city centre with the process in Galway likely to begin in 2016.

“It is far too early to go into any detail on what we will be doing, but the development is likely to be a phased one and the process should kick off in 2016,” said Barry Kenny.

He also pointed out that in terms of improving facilities at the station, for both rail and bus commuters, all the homework had been completed in terms of acquiring planning permission and in securing the support of the NTA (National Transport Authority).

“In terms of this project we are all singing off the one hymn sheet in terms of our desire to improve facilities at Ceannt Station. At this stage, it really is a matter of securing the funding go-ahead for the project,” said Barry Kenny.

The new plans to improve facilities at the station include the provision of new entrance plazas and an extension to the concourse areas.

Demolition works are also planned in the development as well as the provision of new ticket machines, retail pods and toilets. The work is estimated to cost between €10m and €20m.

The Galway City Tribune has learned that the first phase of the commercial aspect of the development is likely to be on the Fairgreen side of the 15 acre station site.

Back in 2009, city businessman Gerry Barrett of Edward Holdings, was confirmed as the preferred developer, of what was described at the time, as the ‘New Galway’ project, costing an estimated €800m, requiring massive international funding that never materialised.

As well as a new railway station, the plan for the 15-acre site was to include around 600,000 square feet of retail space, more than 200 residential units, bars, cafés, restaurants and cultural space.

The project was to employ several hundred people in the construction phase and 3,000 more on a permanent basis throughout the commercial enterprises to be set up on the site.