Galway Bay fm newsroom - Calls for increased affordable housing, park and ride services and a light rail feasibility study dominated the City Council’s first pre-draft consultation process meeting for the new City Development Plan which will run from 2023 -2029..
The meeting, which was the first of four, was held both online and in Leisureland last evening.
The first pre-draft plan consultation process meeting for the new City Development Plan gave Councillors the chance to add policy recommendations to the Chief Executive’s report.
The CE report currently contains 74 recommendations, under the headings of population growth and housing, economic development and transport, and sustainable mobility.
Following submissions from several Councillors on the need for more affordable housing in the city, Independent Declan McDonnell proposed that the new City Development Plan would ensure that all new estates would include a minimum of 50% affordable units.
A vote could not be taken on the proposal, however, due to time constraints and it will be taken next week.
Regarding light rail infrastructure in the city, a number of Councillors said they had been informed that the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has indicated that his Department would fund a light rail feasibility study for the city if Councillors called for it.
The Green Party’s Martina O’Connor proposed calling for such a study and a vote will be taken on her motion at next week’s resumed meeting.
Meanwhile, several Councillors expressed strongly that park and ride services must finally be secured on both the east and west side of the city – with Councillor Eddie Hoare saying a sustainable development plan must include access to public transport for most residents.
Other issues which dominated the agenda were the need to attract more business to the city and to fill vacant commercial units, as well a large degree of disagreement on how to manage on-street parking going forward.
The meeting will resume next Wednesday.
