Opposition to proposal for 340 homes on former golf course

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A decision is due next month on controversial plans to build more than 340 houses and apartments on the former Rosshill Par 3 golf course – which have met with significant local opposition.

Last January, property developer Bernard Duffy – through a family company called Alber Homes (Kegata Ltd) – applied directly to An Bord Pleanála under Strategic Housing Development (SHD) legislation for permission to develop the 25-acre site owned by the Comer Group.

The ‘Rosshill Manor’ plans involve 185 houses ranging from two to four bedrooms, alongside 157 one and two-bed apartments in five four-storey blocks and one three-storey block.

Also included in the development is a two-storey childcare facility with 91 spaces; public realm landscaping including shared public open space and play areas; office and retail space; access road and junction improvements at Rosshill Road/Old Dublin Road; and pedestrian, cyclist and vehicular links throughout the development.

A total of 41 submissions were made by local residents and campaign groups, raising a series of concerns about the proposals.

Environmental and heritage group An Taisce recommended that the plans be rejected, because if permitted, it would set a precedent for high density residential development within lands zoned as Low Density Residential (LDR) and Agricultural and High Amenity (G) use.

The objection added that the development would be likely to have a significant effect on adjacent protected species and habitats, as well as on areas such as Merlin Woods.

It also points out that the area is “severely underserviced” by existing infrastructure including insufficient public transport access and linkages.

One local couple said the rural semi-agricultural location – which has five farms and a stud farm nearby – is not suited to such a development, and the area did not have the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the 1,000-plus inhabitants which would be generated by the development.

The objection said that a live herd of cows is moved on the Rosshill Road twice daily for milking.

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