Salthill needs ‘special’ care to strengthen village identity

Salthill is now more of an urban village rather than the nightclub and hotel centre that it had been in days of yesteryear, according to the city’s latest planning blueprint.

However, despite the change in the character of Salthill, the area still retains its distinctive character and amenity value with the sea and prom the big attractions.

The 2017-2023 City Development Draft Plan points out that many of Salthill’s former nightclubs and hotels have now been replaced by apartments, cafes and restaurants.

“The assets of the seafront, promenade and beaches ensures that it retains many of the traditional seaside and resort characteristic uses, such as entertainment facilities, funfairs, cafes, restaurant and a range of tourist attractions,” the City Plan points out.

Salthill though remains an ‘area in transition’, according to the City Plan, requiring special attention to safeguard and strengthen its identity and role as an urban village.

“Issues such as unfinished and unoccupied key buildings, under-utilised sites, and lack of design consistency along the main commercial spine need to be addressed.

“The area also lacks good pedestrian permeability, with vehicular traffic and parking dominating the main commercial street – and poor connectivity between the commercial area and the promenade,” the report states.

It also stresses the need for strengthening Salthill as an urban village and as a recreation-cum-coastal amenity area by encouraging high quality mixed-use development and by other improvements.

“This will be achieved by guidance on design standards of infill, mix of uses, improved accessibility as well as more disciplined shopfront and signage guidance in accordance with the Galway Shopfront and Signage guidelines,” the plan recommends.

The City Council will also seek to improve ‘linkages’ between Salthill and the city centre through projects like the expansion of the public bikes scheme, the development of the greenway to Barna and increased bus services between the two locations.

Other priority areas being targeted in the plan include greater pedestrianisation, improved traffic management and a review of car-parking arrangements.