GAA told to scale back Pearse Stadium lights plan

The GAA has been told to completely rethink its controversial plans to erect floodlights at Pearse Stadium.

City planners have written to the County Board with a lengthy series of concerns about a planning application which was lodged in April.

They expressed “serious concerns” about the plans and pointed out there was a deficit of information, demanding a whole series of reports to be prepared.

The application has already met with huge opposition from local residents – it’s the third time the GAA has sought permission for floodlights. Two previous applications were withdrawn, one amid controversy following an investigation into an alleged forged Garda signature. The latest application is for five columns, each with up to 40 lights.

City Council officials have now shared the serious concerns of nearby residents.

“The Planning Authority have serious concerns with regards to the capacity of the site to absorb the impacts on the general amenity in the area satisfactorily, in particular by virtue of scale, function and location of the proposal. There is a deficit of information to allow for a full assessment of the proposal.

“You are requested to consider the potential for revising the proposal to a much more reduced scale, which would consequently have a more reduced impact that that could mitigate against the more serious impacts that would arise, in particular the impact on visual amenity and residential amenity.

“As stated in previous applications, it is felt that the development is likely to have significant impact on certain of the adjoining residences, it is considered that the proposals submitted do not adequately demonstrate that the floodlighting will not have a significant effect on the amenity of residents living around the stadium,” planners said.

For more on this, see this week’s Galway City Tribune