Huge retail, hotel and residential development for Tuam

Date Published: 14-Apr-2010

By Declan Tierney

The development of a new town centre in Tuam could be in the pipeline following the granting of planning permission for a multi million euro retail, residential and hotel development.

Despite opposition from the local tennis club and a girls’ secondary school, the development on the nine acre site received the green light from An Bord Pleanála.

However, an inspector with An Bord Pleanála recommended that planning permission be refused on the grounds that part of the site was zoned for community facilities as opposed to retail and residential.

The inspector also felt that the huge development would have an adverse in a number of protected structures in the area.

In May 2008, Joe and Helen O’Toole of Super Valu, Tuam were granted planning permission for a supermarket and department store along with residential and retail units.

The ambitious plan also involves the provision of a hotel and nursing home on the site as well as the provision of a plaza area and part of the proposed inner relief road for the town.

Joe O’Toole is the owner of the Super Valu supermarket on Bishop Street in Tuam and the proposed development would include works being carried out on three protected structures namely the Bishop’s Palace, Garvey’s Mill and an inscribed stone plaque.

But the decision to grant planning permission was appealed by Tuam Tennis Club on the grounds that it would result in the loss of four tennis courts and a basketball court and this would seriously reduce the sports facilities available to the people of the town.

They also said that part of the development is on lands owned by Presentation College and argued that these lands cannot be compulsorily purchased by Mr and Mrs O’Toole.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Tribune