Plans for the construction of more than 50 new houses, along with a group medical and dental practice and office space on the Monivea Road have been lodged with Galway City Council.
Green Way Estates (Sligo) Ltd – which has an address at Station Road, Oranmore and is ultimately controlled by Siobhán Fitzgerald of Clarinbridge; Michelle Kelly of Kiltrogue Castle, Claregalway and John Carmody, who is a director of Michael Fitzgerald Construction Ltd in Gort – has sought permission to redevelop the five-acre site.
The site encompasses the former Heneghan’s nurseries, Ballybane House and Rosapenna (already demolished) on the Monivea Road.
The plans involve the demolition of glasshouses, sheds and two houses and for the construction of 52 houses with public open space and 80 parking spaces and a medical practice, dental practice and office space with 52 parking spaces. There will be a mixture of two, three, four and five-bed houses.
The proposals involve the closure of three existing vehicular entrances to the site from Monivea Road and the creation of a new main entrance from that road.
Five of the houses have been identified for use as social housing under planning regulations and will be transferred at a total cost of €1.06 million to the Clúid housing agency.
According to the application, the company is the owner of Ballybane House and is in the process of acquiring the remainder of the site.
“A stand-alone, private sector development is limited in what it can deliver in terms of community and support facilities, but the development’s inclusion of space in the commercial building for a group medical practice, dental practice and shop (envisaged as pharmacy or similar) will make a significant contribution to the neighbourhood in this regard.
“No issues of overlooking, loss of privacy, overshadowing or any other impacts on residential amenity arise for the existing houses to the south and west of the site. This is as a result of these houses’ deep back gardens, and also the proposed development’s similarity to the neighbouring properties in terms of plot and dwelling typologies and scale.
“The proposed woodland screen planting and trees inside the southern site boundary, and the general improvement in the appearance of the site overall, will in fact, improve the amenities of the neighbouring houses,” the application reads.
An objection lodged by residents whose property is surrounded by the development site has raised concerns that the new homes would overlook and overshadow the house and lead to an invasion of privacy.
There are also concerns about the view of oncoming traffic being blocked; parking on footpaths causing a traffic hazard; insufficient parking; noise pollution and damage to foundations.
A decision is expected from city planners in mid-February, although at that point the Council is expected to seek further information from the applicant.
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