Galway Hooker Sailing Club secures permission for new boathouse in Newcastle

Galway Hooker Sailing Club has secured planning permission for a new boathouse in Newcastle.

The old boathouse on the west bank of the River Corrib, adjacent to Corrib Village, will be demolished.

Despite only being built some 20 years ago, the existing boathouse is described in the planning application as “substandard”.

Under plans now approved, it’s set to be knocked and replaced with a new and considerably larger two-storey building.

It’ll include a range of new facilities, including a dry dock, cantilevered quayside boardwalk with floating pontoons, and viewing deck.

An Taisce had lodged a submission on the plans, raising a number of concerns.

They included potential impact on the River Corrib and on a planned Greenway which will pass by the area, as well as flood risks and archaeology and heritage concerns.

After some back and forth with the sailing club, city planners granted approval with an extensive list of conditions attached.