Galway Bay fm newsroom - A plan for a major high rise student accommodation development on the Headford road has been approved by An Bord Pleanála.
The proposed eight storey development adjacent to Galway Retail Park was approved by city planners in February and was later appealed by An Taisce.
The plan sets out to see the creation of 254 student beds, four retail units and a gym.
The application is led by Cleverson Ltd and includes a mix of one and two bed studio apartments along with four, five, six and seven bed units across six floors.
The plans would also see the demolition of an existing ESB unit enclosure and the creation of a 2,385 square metre development.
City planners approved the proposal in February with 28 conditions attached.
An Taisce then appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.
Among the concerns listed in the grounds of appeal is an argument that the application decision was premature and failed to acknowledge directions voted for in the 2011-2017 Development Plan which called for the preparation of a local area plan incorporating lands in this area.
It’s also argued that the current City Development Plan also calls for a density and building heights study, through variation number 5.
The board has now backed the city council decision to approve the development and has attached 28 revised conditions.
One states the development is only to be used as student accommodation but can be used as visitor accommodation outside of the academic terms.
