Council urged to speed up decision on Galway welfare office

The Office of Public Works has warned Galway City Council that time is critical in developing new welfare offices in the Webworks building at the Fairgreen.

And it has rejected a request by planners to include a restaurant in the premises, claiming it would be “unused and unsustainable”.

The agency is seeking planning permission to use the entire office space in the building as a Department of Social Protection ‘Intreo’ office – a single location for all employment and income support services.

“It is a key priority of Government that a further eighteen centres will be operating by end 2014 and the Galway office proposed for the Webworks building will centralize all social welfare facilities and services in a single location. Time is critical in delivering this project on the ground by year-end 2014,” the OPW said.

As part of the plans, planning permission is required for a change of use of a mezzanine level in the building from restaurant (associated with the coach station on the ground floor).

However, the Council said the owner of the building should reconsider omitting the restaurant, as it would leave the bus station without any hospitality facilities.

“The proposed existing vacant mezzanine level is to be enclosed and dedicated to the new public offices. However, when originally granted by the City Council this was to have been a café restaurant for the new bus station.

“It appears that the coffee dock and sweet/newspaper kiosk which were to have formed part of the bus station development have not been provided either.

“The additional deficit of the restaurant would leave the bus station with no hospitality facilities at all to service the travelling public,” planners said.

The OPW has responded, and rejected the need for a restaurant within the office element of the building.

“There is clear evidence to confirm that the users of the coach station require speedy low-cost refreshments rather than full restaurant facilities which are otherwise available in abundance in the immediate vicinity of Eyre Square and along Forster Street.

“Market research has confirmed that a restaurant at mezzanine level would be unused and commercially unsustainable. It should be noted that the restaurant has never been occupied since the development of the Webworks building, due to lack of operator interest.

“The current owner plans to install three kiosks for this purpose and to more than double the seating (capacity 160) within the new expanded ground floor of the coach station. This enhanced facility will more readily and efficiently meet the requirements of the travelling public and other users and does not depend on securing a restaurant operator,” the OPW said.

A decision is due on the application at the beginning of September.