Consultants will focus on retail needs of villages close to city
The needs of Bearna, Claregalway, and Oranmore – as well as Galway City – will be the focus of a new joint retail strategy.
KPMG Future Analytics consultants were appointed to deliver the Joint Retail Strategy on behalf of Galway’s two local authorities.
Galway County Councillor Geraldine Donoghue (Ind) was told at the latest plenary meeting that the consultants have already started to gather baseline data for analysis.
They plan to carry out in-person shopper surveys and household surveys to feed into the new strategy to develop retail in Galway City and its surrounding villages including Bearna, Claregalway, and Oranmore within the Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP).
“From Galway County Council’s perspective, the Joint Retail Strategy will provide a robust, evidence base and identify requirements for further retail development within the MASP settlements of Baile Chláir, Bearna and Oranmore,” a spokesperson for Galway County Council said.
There will be ‘stakeholder engagement’ with officials and elected members of both Councils, retailers, North West Regional Assembly and Local Enterprise Offices.
There is a joint working group that meets twice a week with the consultants to ensure delivery of the strategy, Cllr Donoghue was told.
The strategy is a requirement under both Galway City and County Development Plans passed by Galway City and County Councils.
Pictured: Bearna...focus of retail strategy deliberations.