Headford Road retail and apartment project approved

Galway City Council has given the go-ahead for a retail and apartment development on the Headford Road.

The new building – on the site of the former Esso station adjacent to the IMC cinema – will include two retail units and four apartments overhead.

Last year, Cleverson Ltd – a company ultimately controlled by members of hotelier and developer John Lally’s family – sought permission for a four storey building with 2 two-storey retail units and four duplex residential units overhead, along with a roof terrace.

However, planners said that while the proposal had merits in that it represented a welcome mix of uses, they expressed concerns about the fact no parking spaces were planned – where there would normally be a requirement for 50 spaces.

They also expressed concerns that the design of the building – and proposed blue or black brick – would be unacceptable.

Planner also sought a Flood Risk Assessment for the site.

The Council said the development would also impact on the ‘aspiration’ to accommodate a significant cultural plaza on adjoining lands.

The applicants subsequently revised the scheme – there is no longer vehicular access onto the Headford Road, and the building line there has been stepped back to accommodate the future development of the vacant plot next door and of Galway Shopping Centre.

“The revised proposal provides for a service and delivery access from the rear and includes four on-site carparking spaces to serve the apartments.

“There is already significant surface carparking in the Headford Road area,” the revisions read.

Blue/black brickwork is no longer included in the proposals – instead, the applicants have identified “a high quality modulated façade finish”.

Local environmental watchdog group An Taisce said the revised application was effectively a new plan, adding that the proposals were completely out of scale with adjacent buildings, and that excessive height would set an undesirable precedent.

Planners have given the green light for the revised development, ruling: “The revised scheme has been redesigned to reflect the importance of this prominent site along the Headford Road.

In particular, the access through the Dyke Road carpark allows the development to be serviced from the rear without detracting from the overall Headford Road redevelopment.

“The development has been designed to be able to be able to service the building from a future link road to the north, if one is provided in the future,” the Council said.

Construction work has been restricted to between 8am and 6pm Mondays to Fridays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Planners also stipulated that the two retail units cannot be interconnected or subdivided without their approval, and have also requested they be informed of the intended users prior to occupation.