Galway Crystal apartments get the nod

Date Published: 07-Mar-2008

Plans for €60 million worth of new apartments on the site of the former Galway Irish Crystal building are set to proceed, after the Planning Appeals Board chose to ignore the recommendations of one of their own inspectors.

One of the country’s biggest developers, Bernard McNamara of Michael McNamara Construction, is set to demolish the high-profile building on the Dublin Road. Last year, Mr McNamara sought permission through a company called Crepley Ltd, to build 200 apartments in nine blocks.

However, city planners rejected that application on the grounds of scale and height of the blocks, the high density, the mix of unit types, lack of recreational facilities and an unacceptable pedestrian crossing.

That decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanala by Mr McNamara, who pointed out that the development would not be high density under Residential Density Guidelines; that there is no established residential character in the area; and that it is in close proximity to the proposed Quality Bus Corridors and Murrough Rail Station.

The appellant also argued the mix of units reflected …………….