Anger soars over failure of HSE to hand back helipad land
Shantalla residents claim they are being stonewalled by the authorities in relation to a so-called ‘temporary’ helipad that has remained in use on public lands in the area for three years.
Residents claim that Galway City Council are facilitating the Health Service Executive (HSE) to remain as ‘squatters’ on the Shantalla pitch.
In 2013, residents agreed to allow University Hospital Galway (UHG) to use the pitch as a temporary landing area for helicopters. They did so on the understanding that the pitch would be returned to the community after six months.
But three years later, the pitch is still being used as a helipad, and residents cannot get assurances from elected members of the Council, officials or the HSE as to when it will return to community use.
Residents claim that planning for the development expired in 2014, and that it is now an “illegal development”.
They have sent letters of complaint to the planning department of the City Council but remain in the dark.
“The continued use of the helipad is due to an overrun on the permitted development. I find no case for planning enforcement,” said Norann Keane, senior staff officer at the Council’s Planning and Transportation unit.
Local resident, Máire Farmer, a member of Galway Community Development Alliance, said: “The planning for this helipad expired in 2014, and it is now an illegal development. Galway City Council, both the executive and elected members are deliberately avoiding the issue. The HSE likewise,” said Ms Farmer.
Shantalla residents are trying to organise a meeting with the HSE and Council to get a commitment and timeframe for when the pitch will be handed back to the community.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.