Sandy Road regeneration heralds new dawn for city
THE first steps have been taken this week in what promises to be the biggest ever single urban regeneration project in the city – a potential half-billion-euro development of the 20-acre Sandy Road site.
A design review of the site has begun this week to be conducted by the Royal Institute Architects of Ireland with a brief to set out an outline vision strategy for the provision of 1,000 new homes as well as employment units and leisure facilities.
Property owners on the site earmarked for development include the City Council, the ESB, Galway County Council, the Galway Education and Training Board and the Connacht Tribune-owned Galway Bay FM premises.
The initial stages of the project – being driven by the State funded Land Development Agency (LDA) – will also have a strong ‘green element’ to it in what is being termed a ‘non-car’ development.
Galway City Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, told the Galway City Tribune, that it was a most exciting project for the city given its location within one kilometre of Eyre Square and its ready access to roads and public transport.
He said that the main thrust of the development would be housing-orientated, with a variety of residential units including affordable, social, rental and private sale properties.
“What’s happening this week is the important first step in what can be a very real achievable project for the city in the short- to medium-term period with the first phases coming on stream in the next three to five years,” said Mr McGrath.
The panel of architects [chaired by former senior Bord Pleanála planner, John Martin] will have its review completed by the end of March [this year] with the project in a position to go the detailed design stage some time in 2021, according to Brendan McGrath.
“We would hope that – all things going well – this project would be going on site by the end of 2022, with the first phases to be completed 12 to 18 months later,” Brendan McGrath said.
He stressed, however, that there would be a detailed and lengthy consultation period with all of the property-owners and tenants on the 20-acre site before the project would proceed.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.