Galway approves Murrough coastal suburb plan for up to 2,500 homes
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Fears that Murrough could face the same delays experienced at Ardaun were raised by Galway City Councillors as they approved plans that could pave the way for a major new coastal suburb near Renmore.
Members backed a variation to the Galway City Development Plan which will allow the advancement of a new coastal community at Murrough, a site with the potential to accommodate up to 2,500 homes.
“This is an exciting vision and forecast for that area,” said Fianna Fáil Cllr Peter Keane. “But we need to learn lessons from the mistakes made in Ardaun regarding waterways and infrastructure.
It is a really exciting project, but we need to learn from what happened at Ardaun, which was adopted in 2019 and nothing done.”
Located between Doughiska and Oranmore, Ardaun was earmarked for up to 4,640 homes and a population of more than 12,000 people.
However, progress has been slower than originally envisaged and councillors heard that the Local Area Plan for the area expired in 2024.
At the meeting, planning officials described Murrough as a future coastal community that will be orientated around sustainable transport.
A rail connection will be vital to the area's long-term development and councillors heard that an overbridge will be required for vehicles from the Dublin Road.
Murrough will be a high-quality urban extension for a new generation of Galwegians
Officials described the importance of sustainable transport and the need for “a train station with a commuter rail platform similar to Oranmore”.
“Up to 19,000 people are coming in every day to the Dublin Road area and people want to arrive in this area,” the council heard.
“A key part is the rail connection. It is part of the overall strategy and it will bolster the new investment in the Western Rail Corridor connections. Coastal defences will have to be considered.”
Officials stressed that councillors were not being asked to approve a detailed design for the site but rather to approve a framework that would allow further planning and consultation to take place.
“We are not here today to design it,” officials said.
“We are here to allow us to further explore and design how it can be achieved. The finer detail will be presented at the next stage where there will be public consultation.”
The variation paves the way for the 34-hectare Murrough site to form part of the city's long-term housing growth strategy.
Councillors heard that it is “not suitable for large-scale playing pitches due to biodiversity sensitivity”.
Cllr Terry O'Flaherty (Ind) secured a commitment that future proposals near Ballyloughane and Renmore would respect the established character of the existing residential areas and protect amenities in the locality.
Cllr Shane Forde (FG) said all stakeholders should be involved in the planning process from the earliest possible stage.
Chief Executive Leonard Cleary confirmed the council's commitment to engaging with stakeholders as plans for Murrough move forward and the variation was approved.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.