Council rejects rezoning bid for large-scale office block at Docks

The owners of the former ‘Topaz’ oil tank site at Galway Docks have failed in an attempt to reduce the legal requirement for residential development as part of any regeneration proposal there – which would allow for a large-scale office development.

City Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath advised councillors not to make any variation to the Draft City Development Plan 2017-23, pointing out that residential development is needed in the city centre.

Planning Consultant Stephen Little – on behalf of the landowners – had asked councillors to vary the Development Plan requirement that residential space make up 30% of any development, to just 10%.

“This formal submission is seeking an adjustment to the quantum of residential development to be required in the Docklands regeneration areas of the city so that the commercial dominance of the city centre can be maintained be ensuring commercial product can be provided in line with market demands.

“Specifically, this submission is seeking to alter the required residential content of a given site from a minimum of 30% of the gross floor area, to a minimum of 10% of the gross floor area, depending upon an economic justification in order to ensure that the lands can accommodate the primary purpose of the land use zoning – being to preserve the city centre as the dominant commercial area of the city,” the submission reads.

It also requests that the requirement for office-related parking be reduced from one space per 50 square metre to one per 300 sq m “in order to accommodate a market demand for office development generally, but also to promote more sustainable transport movements in Galway generally”.

The submission adds that sites at the Docks are ideally positioned to cater for the demand for office space.

“It is the scale of these sites that lends them to be suitable to deliver the type of larger scale office floor plates in the city centre so as to accommodate the nature and extent of office floorspace being sought by the office market at present.

“Given the proximity of these sites to the city centre itself and more importantly the transport hub at Ceannt Station, they are ideally positioned to enhance the commercial function of the city centre,” the submission reads.

In his recommendation to councillors – who have yet to discuss the submission – Mr McGrath said: “No amendment to the Draft plan is recommended. Residential development is needed in the city centre to create a living city, by having a sustainable mix of uses and 24/7 living environment, vitality, surveillance and safety and support services and businesses.”

He added that there is already flexibility in car parking standards, where a transportation contribution can be levied as part of planning permission in lieu of on-site parking spaces.

The 17 councillors present at a meeting on the Development Plan voted to accept the Chief Executive’s recommendation.