Planners shoot down shopping centre expansion

PLANS for a massive extension to the Briarhill Shopping Centre – including a new mall and 13 retail units – have been shot down by planners over traffic concerns. The scheme is the first planning application to fall foul of doubts over the future of the Galway City Outer Bypass.Officials from the Planning Department on Galway City Council took on board recommendations from the National Roads Authority and the new Galway Transportation Unit said that because there is 'uncertainty’ over the Outer Bypass, the plans by businessman and developer Liam Mulryan are 'premature’.Mr Mulryan had sought permission for a 6,200 square metre extension to the centre, which would include two floors over a two-storey basement, a public mall and 13 retail units on the ground, mezzanine and first floor levels.“There is currently a lack of retail floor space on this side of Galway. Retail provision at present is inadequate for the current need. Additional retail floorspace is required to offset this shortfall and bolster the retail offer current available within the Briarhill Neighbourhood Shopping Centre,” the applications reads.Residents of the adjacent An Sean Bhaile housing estate objected to the application on the grounds that it was too close to the estate, and that it...