Green light for new homes after land swap deal

Galway City Council has given the green light for the construction of 16 family homes in a site at Rosshill Road on the eastern side of the city.

John and Ann Commins had sought permission to develop the 8.3-acre greenfield site located on the Rosshill Road to the north of the railway line.

The decision came as the applicants agreed in principle to transfer some of their land to the south of the site to the Council – this has been designated for a public transportation corridor under the new City Development Plan.

The plans include a total of 16 new homes, all of which are five-bed detached dwellings and each with off-street parking spaces.

A new access junction will be created to serve nine of the homes, while the remaining seven will have access directly onto Rosshill Road.

The scheme was extensively revised on the advice of planners, who suggested that either six of the houses be dropped from the plans, or the layout be changed.

Dr James McCarthy, with an address in the town of Noizay in central France, objected to the application – he voiced concerns about the potential negative impact on adjoining woodland and on visual amenity.

He also raised issues in relation to the public water supply, traffic, flood risk.

Dr McCarthy described the proposal as “disproportionately large” and would require a special sewage treatment arrangement, while the existing water supply is under severe strain already in the area.

He suggested that two to three houses at a maximum or alternatively a small building with between four and six apartments would be more suited to the site.

Environmental watchdog group An Taisce made a submission outlining the impact traffic would have on a “quiet back road”, and pointing out the site is opposite woodlands that are among the few protected green areas highlighted in the City Development Plan.

“This quiet previously unspoilt area of Galway City is gradually being built up, due to a succession of questionable rezoning decisions taken by city councillors over recent years,” An Taisce said.

In their decision to approve the application, the Council said: “It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable … and will not have a detrimental impact on residential amenity or on the character and amenity of the area, that it will not be visually obtrusive or be otherwise contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

A discussion took place between the Council and the applicants regarding the possibility of transferring their ‘RA’ (recreation and amenity) zoned lands to the south of the site, which is designated as a public transport corridor under the City Development Plan 2017-23.

“In addition to this, this ‘green corridor’ provides a natural corridor from the existing public woodlands, located to the east and west of the development site. The applicants considered that the transfer of the land is question was acceptable in principle,” the planning report reads.