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Day one of oral hearing over Westside retail development concludes
Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Rahoon residents association is now making its submission to the Oral hearing in respect of a proposed retail development at Westside in the city.
Chartered town planner Brendan McGrath says grounds for appeal include that the project is not in accordance with the city development plan.
Applicant T O’ Higgins and company limited and several third parties are appealing the decision of the city council to grant permission with conditions for the retail development opposite Westside Shopping centre on the Seamus Quirke road.
Inspector Derek Daly has been appointed by An Bord Pleanala to preside over an oral hearing which got underway at the Westwood house hotel in Newcastle this morning.
This afternoon’s submissions focused on the retail element of the proposed multi million euro retail development.
James Barnes on behalf of RGDATA says its principal concerns include the inappropriate out of town location and the impact on the vitality of the existing town centre.
The group, which represent Ireland’s family owned grocery stores, forecourt stores and supermarkets, claim the overall impact of an oversized supermarket in this location would have a devastating impact on the existing town centre.
Meanwhile, Dublin based planning and development consultancy John Spain associates say the development is contrary to the Galway city development plan and retail hierarchy.
This evening, Brendan McGrath is speaking on behalf of the Rahoon residents association.
He says the group is citing four grounds of appeal which includes the proposal is contrary to the policy of the city development plan to protect the residential amenity of established residential suburbs in Galway.
The oral hearing continues tomorrow.