Local resident lodges appeal to An Bord Pleanala over expansion plans at Galway Clinic

An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala over considerable expansion plans at Galway Clinic.

The project is a two-storey expansion with extra assessment and diagnostic facilities, as well as a new ambulance bay.

Permission for the project was granted last month by city planners, though a number of objections had been lodged by local residents.

They claim the existing entrance layout is unsafe and a serious traffic hazard, and extra capacity would only make the problem worse.

They’re also taking issue with the planned removal of almost 50 parking spaces.

One local resident claimed the move will “aggravate” the existing problem of visitors parking along the adjacent public roads.

A survey carried out as part of the planning application found that during its busiest times, the hospital has almost 70 car parking spaces free – around 10 percent of the total capacity.

It concluded the extra spaces lost to the expansion project could be restored in the near future – as more people use public transport and other sustainable travel options.

Following the green light from city planners, an appeal has now been lodged with An Bord Pleanala, with a decision due in August.