Residents win battle against plan for 330 apartments

From this week’s Galway City Tribune: More than 700 local residents have won their battle to prevent the construction of 330 apartments at the entrance to the Gateway Retail Park in Knocknacarra – after An Bord Pleanála ruled the development would not meet planning guidelines for sustainable housing.

There were a total of 27 objections against Glenveagh Living’s plan for the six-acre site, including one which included a petition signed by more than 700 local residents.

Glenveagh – which specialises in off-loading entire developments to so-called ‘cuckoo funds’ – had sought permission to build 332 apartments in six blocks, ranging from four to seven storeys in height on land opposite the Gort na Bró estate and adjacent to Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh.

However, despite a recommendation from the own planning inspector that the development go ahead, An Bord Pleanála turned it down.

The Board referred to a Department of Housing policy objective contained within ‘Guidelines for Planning authorities on Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments’ that a minimum of 50% of apartments in a scheme must be ‘dual aspect’ (windows on two walls).
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