€100m Docks development to create 500 construction jobs

Plans have been drawn up for a €100 million ‘urban quarter’ at Galway Docks – which will create 500 construction jobs and office space for 2,600 workers.

The ‘Bonham Quay’ regeneration project will open up an entirely new area of the city’s waterfront and satisfy urgent calls from the IDA for high-spec city centre office space to attract Foreign Direct Investment.

Well-known Galway developer Gerry Barrett has lodged plans with the City Council for 26,000 square metres of ‘Grade A’ office space in four blocks on the two-acre former Topaz oil tanks site at the Docks.

It will also offer 2,000 square metres of retail space and restaurants offering views over the Docks and Galway Bay.

The project is backed by his Edward Capital company, and will cost €104m to build.

According to a spokesperson for the company, the development has the potential to create 500 construction jobs and will provide space for 2,600 workers – satisfying pent-up demand from some multinationals who are waiting for city centre offices.

It will create a new urban quarter in the city which Mr Barrett said will be a “reimagining of Galway” in the run up to European City of Culture 2020.

He said: “Bonham Quay is a new departure for Galway. The creation of a new urban quarter will stimulate significant employment in Galway city and its environs and will have a ripple impact in the broader national economy.

“It will cement a reimagining of Galway as it moves toward 2020 and takes up the mantle of European Capital of Culture. It will make up for a dearth in city centre office space that has precluded major international occupiers of moving operations to the city. It will have a major positive impact on tourism, local entertainment and hospitality offerings.

“It will offer significant opportunities for Galway and its surrounding areas post-Brexit with ease of access to both Dublin and Shannon Airports. The quality of lifestyle in Galway is also sure to be a huge attraction for Foreign Direct Investment and their employees.

“We will work conscientiously with all stakeholders: government, national agencies, the local authority, elected officials, local business groups and engage with the wider community to deliver 2,600 jobs for Galway. It is our intention to deliver something quite exceptional for the city,” said Mr Barrett.
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