Galway Bay fm newsroom - Tuam could be set to get a major housing development if An Bord Pleanála decides there is a 'reasonable basis' for an application to be made.
In July this year, new legislation came into place which requires anyone hoping to build more than 100 houses or 200 student accommodation units to make an application directly to An Bord Pleanála.
It means applications for large scale developments are no longer approved or refused by the city or county councils.
Arlum Limited is having preliminary consultation with An Bord Pleanála about a proposal for 124 homes at Ballygaddy Road in Tuam.
It would potentially include landscaping and site works as well as connection to existing services.
The higher planning authority will issue an opinion by mid-November on whether or not the proposal should be progressed to formal application stage.
Once an opinion is issued, the prospective applicant can formally submit an application, or amend the proposal depending on the advice from the pre-consultation.
While the previous requirements of erecting a site notice and publishing the notice in a newspaper will remain, applicants must now additionally set up a website detailing the plans for the public.
The legislation was brought in by government in a bid to tackle the housing crisis.
An Bord Pleanála will have 16 weeks to make a decision on an application, after which point it will be penalised for any delays.
