Planners approve new office campus for 1,500 workers

Galway City Council has given the green light for the first phase on plans for a new €120 million business campus on the eastern side of the side – and construction work could be set to start there next year.

The ‘Eastgate’ project at the McDonogh trade centre lands in Ballybane will see the construction of office blocks up to eight storeys in height, creating work space for between 1,000 and 1,500 people.

Pat Neville, Director of McDonogh Capital Investments (part of Thomas McDonogh & Sons) told the Galway City Tribune that it is unlikely that all three office blocks of Phase 1 will be built at the same time, but the developers are encouraged by current economic conditions and feedback from the likes of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

The first phase would take between 12 and 24 months to build out, and two further phases (not part of the current planning permission) are likely to include six more office blocks, a multi-storey carpark and a 193-bed hotel.

“We would like to see [work] started by the middle of next year,” said Mr Neville.

Phase 1, an investment of €50m, involves the construction of three office blocks, ranging from five to eight storeys in height, a café and parking for 421 cars and 120 bicycles.
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