Work on €1bn new look city to start in 18 months

Date Published: 13-Nov-2009

WORK on the €1 billion regeneration plan for CIE lands in the city centre – stretching from Eyre Square to Lough Atalia Road – is likely to begin in the middle of 2011.

The massive project is set to proceed in tandem with the new €200m plan for Galway Port, after top-level talks between the two groups took place earlier this week. It will involve a complete redevelopment of Ceannt Station, as well as huge-scale retail centre, hotel, offices and apartments on the 14-acre site.

A spokesperson for CIE confirmed to the Galway City Tribune this week that a recommendation has been made to the Board of CIE on a preferred choice of private developer who will act as their partner on the project, and if accepted, the appointment will be made before the end of the year.

And within six months, it is hoped a planning application can be lodged directly with An Bórd Pleanála under Strategic Infrastructure Development legislation.

“A shortlist of developer partners was drawn up from the eight who expressed an interest in the project. A recommendation has now gone to the Board, and we would hope a decision would be made before the end of this year,” the spokesperson said.

The initial phase will see the partner developer build the new Ceannt Station ‘up front’ over a two-year period. This will include new train platforms and waiting facilities, a new bus station and a bar and restaurant.

He said that discussions are ongoing between CIE, the City Council and Galway Harbour Company with regard to the whopping 175 acres of land that is set to be developed across the Docklands.

“We have been discussing how both groups can move forward with these schemes and cooperate with each other. When we drew up the Master Plan in late 2006, we included the connectivity to the Docks land.

“Once we appoint the developer, we can start to move forward to pre-consultation with An Bórd Pleanála. We have already been in talks with them, but they were put on hold until after the developer is appointed,” the spokesperson said.

Continued on Page 5 of this week’s City Tribune