Core Refusal Reason
The development constitutes a substandard form of shared accommodation that materially contravenes the City Development Plan and national guidelines, providing poor residential amenity due to excessive room density and inadequate light, ventilation, and communal facilities.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The proposal materially contravenes Policy 3.1 (18) of the Galway City Development Plan 2023-2029 and fails to comply with Specific Planning Policy Requirement 7 (SPPR 7) of the 2023 Apartment Guidelines regarding shared accommodation.
- The development provides a substandard level of residential amenity for occupants due to excessive room numbers, poor internal layouts, and a critical lack of adequate natural light, ventilation, and communal facilities.
- Granting retention for this 'barracks-type' accommodation would set an undesirable precedent for future developments and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the city centre area.
Cited Policies (CDP)
Policy 3.1 (18)Policy 3.7Policy 8.2Policy 8.3Policy 8.4Policy 8.6Policy 10.1Section 3.4Section 3.8Section 11.3Section 11.4DM Standard 11.9DM Standard 11.11DM Standard 11.12DM Standard 11.16DM Standard 11.20DM Standard 11.22DM Standard 11.23DM Standard 11.25DM Standard 11.28DM Standard 11.32DM Standard 11.33DM Standard 11.35
Decision Document Summary
Atlantic Enterprises Ltd. sought retention permission for staff accommodation on the first floor of 36 Eyre Square, Galway, situated above a Supermacs restaurant within the Eyre Square Architectural Conservation Area. The Planning Authority refused the application, determining that the conversion from commercial to residential use resulted in a substandard 'barracks-type' layout that fails to meet national and local planning standards. The refusal was primarily based on the material contraventio...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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