Galway City Council refuses permission for 356-home scheme at A site of 1.621, Galway city

In context

It is one of 32 housing scheme applications Galway City Council has received in the past twelve months, against 1,573 nationally. Of the 3,037 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 79% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 19 June 2026. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Galway City Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

Permission for development which consists of: The proposed development principally consists of: the demolition of the existing office / bus depot building (370.2 sq m) and ancillary building (26.0 sq m); the partial demolition of the existing ESB sub-station and ancillary building (67.4 sq m); the demolition of existing boundary walls at the south-west and north-west; and the construction of a mixed-use development. The proposed mixed-use development primarily comprises: 356 No. residential apartments (172 No. 1-bed, 169 No. 2-bed and 15 No. 3-bed); crèche (255.9 sq m); 2 No. café/restaurant units (totalling 428.4 sq m); and 1 No. retail unit (156.0 sq m). The development has a total floor area of 32,096.0 sq m and is primarily proposed in 4 No. blocks (identified as A–D) that generally range in height from 6 No. to 13 No. storeys: Block A ranges from 6 No. to 9 No. storeys; Block B ranges from 6 No. to 11 No. storeys; Block C is 6 No. storeys; and Block D ranges from 6 No. to 13 No. storeys. The proposed development also includes: new internal street and pedestrian network, including a one-way vehicular route at the north-western side of the site and new junctions with Dock Road at the south-west and with the access road from Lough Atalia at the north-west; upgrades to Lough Atalia Road and the access road from it at the north-west of the site, including the provision of a new toucan pedestrian/cycle crossing at Lough Atalia Road; upgrades to the footpath and road interface with Dock Road to the south-west; 37 No. car parking spaces; 1 No. set-down/delivery bay; 741 No. cycle parking spaces; hard and soft landscaping, including as public open spaces and communal amenity spaces; private amenity spaces as balconies and terraces facing all directions; boundary treatments; public lighting; bin stores; double sub-station; plant rooms; green roofs; rooftop lift overruns and plant; rooftop telecommunications, plant and enclosure at Block C; recladding of the existing sub-station and pumping station; and all associated works above and below ground. This is an LRD