Galway Bay fm newsroom - Councillors have passed a controversial plan for a social housing estate of 58 units in Ballybane.
The Part 8 approval clears the way for the plan to proceed which will include 40 houses and 18 apartments funded by government under the social housing investment programme or SHIP.
The matter caused division at City Hall with some councillors raising concerns over the possibility of anti-social behaviour due to the fully social nature of the development.
Independent councillor Declan McDonnell said 16 residents associations from the east side of the city have raised concerns about ongoing anti-social behaviour and have called for an affordable mix.
He also questioned how three liaison officers can manage anti-social behaviour issues with a total housing stock of 2400 units in the city.
CEO Brendan McGrath stressed that anti-social behaviour issues concern only a small minority in social estates and also advised that liaison officers are backed up by a team in the housing department.
Fine Gael councillor John Walsh proposed that the Part 8 application be approved in the hope that an affordable scheme is in place by the time the houses are constructed.
His proposal was passed with the support of 15 members.
.Councillor Walsh told our reporter Antoinette Giblin that the development must be progressed given the city housing crisis.
Councillor Michael Crowe’s proposal to reject the Part 8 and revisit with regard to an affordable site in future, did not receive sufficient support with six voting for and nine against.
He says the current fully social development is not the right move.
