‘Major progress’ on site of Corrib Great Southern

MAJOR progress is being made on the Corrib Great Southern site as preliminary design sketches have been provided to Galway City Council – with a view to seeking planning permission for a housing development in the next three months.

The update came after Cllr Declan McDonnell (Ind) pressed officials at the latest council meeting for a timeline on moving the project forward.

Council officials said they had a “very positive and productive” meeting with the site owners and that the project is advancing.

It’s two decades since the Corrib Great Southern, located opposite the Galway ATU campus, closed for good and the building itself was demolished in 2021.

Cllr McDonnell also urged that funding be used to upgrade the nearby Skerritt Roundabout on the Dublin Road.

The discussion arose during debate on the Joint Retail Strategy for the city and county, where councillors highlighted long-running vacancy and dereliction in the city centre.

Members called for more active measures to push developments forward and bring empty premises back into use.

Officials confirmed that a commercial rates relief scheme was now being designed to encourage new businesses to take over vacant city centre units.

Under new legislation, councils can introduce rates waivers where they support an adopted policy or strategy.

The proposed scheme is due to be brought to the relevant SPC by the end of June, followed by public consultation, with final approval tied to the 2027 budget process.

Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) highlighted the need to tackle dereliction through incentives.

“It’s not a grab-all for rents and rates,” she said. “We need some incentives.”

Cllr Níall McNeilis (Lab) also advocated for a “rates holiday” for new businesses that take up vacant properties in the city and called for a special meeting on the future of the city centre.

Party colleague Cllr John McDonagh pointed to historic tax relief schemes that revitalised Quay Street in the 1980s.

Many councillors voiced concern about the prominence of vape shops across the city centre, but were told that in planning terms, “a shop is a shop.”

Officials behind the Joint Retail Strategy also outlined plans for a branded city centre retail space — described as a department store-style concept — dedicated to locally produced arts, crafts and regional goods, in partnership with the Local Enterprise Office.

Elected representatives highlighted the need for greater retail variety in the city centre, warning that barber shops and tourist-focused outlets were dominating prime streets while women’s fashion retail is underrepresented.

Cllr Alan Cheevers (FF) described the proposed Augustine Hill development — a planned city-centre retail redevelopment near St Augustine Street — as a potential “gamechanger” that could generate an estimated €1 million per year in commercial rates “in the coffers”.

Mayor of Galway City, Cllr Mike Cubbard (Ind), commended the shopfront improvement scheme and urged the council to continue working closely with the business forum.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Pictured: Progress: the site of the former Corrib Great Southern Hotel.