Councillors told not to give into bullying

Date Published: 03-Oct-2008

TENANTS in the Galway Shopping Centre have warned city councillors not to give into the “bully-boy tactics” when they are considering the rezoning of land at a meeting next Monday, and have called for the vote to be postponed.

Traders have also initiated legal proceedings against Harcourt Developments to secure new leases on their premises in the centre, which are expected to come before the courts in the next month.

The redevelopment plans — which have been revised upwards from €140 million to €200 million — would see the size of the centre quadruple. However, planning permission cannot be granted unless 11 of the 15 sitting councillors vote in favour of rezoning lands on the Sean Mulvoy Road to allow for a new entrance to the centre and the removal of the traffic light-controlled roundabout on the eastern side of the Quincentenary Bridge.

While tenants are not opposed to the centre’s redevelopment, they are concerned about their future in the centre. Zhivago music chain owner Joe Carroll told the Galway City Tribune that “people like myself, Matt O’Flaherty’s and Cunniffe Electrical who had signed long-term leases and others who bought a long lease have a real problem” “The leases were up in ….